METROPOLIS II: Save the City!
by Kawaii Hana
Summary: The fall of the Ziggurat is just beginning... Old enemies become friends... New friends come forth..Past memories revealed...But new deadlier enemies as well... And danger lurks in Metropolis once again... Pls. read and review...
1. PROLOGUE

_**METROPOLIS II: Save the City!**_

_**-Kawaii Hana-**_

_**DISCLAIMER: **_ I do not own Metropolis or any of its characters... Just sad they didn't give a sequel to it though...

**NOTE TO READERS:**

_-- Italic --_ Thoughts of the person

_(Italic)_ Small commentary from me

_**Bold Italic**_ at the beginning – Introduction/Ending statements of the chapter

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**PROLOGUE**

_**Metropolis... the most advanced city-nation in the world... Now an island of misery and loss caused by the Revolution and the fall of their most famous tower, the Ziggurat...**_

Through its rubbles, there standing beneath them was a green-haired boy from Japan... Kenichi. Still wearing his green-checkered jacket, red shirt, and brown shorts, he searched high and low for the parts of his best friend, Tima. Amidst the scratches, the wounds and the bruises found around his body, he has always known for not giving up as he continued to seek out...

With him were all kinds of robots, each labeled with a different Zone number. One of them was a football head-shaped robot who calls itself - Fifi. Kenichi never thought it had survived from Rock's shot in the head but it was evident that Fifi was fixed with the use of scrap materials...

With the help of a few friends and that lot of amount of determination, Kenichi might just have the chance to have his dear humanoid friend, Tima back to life... A life better than the last one...

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He began to feel his surroundings that were of soft and of warm nature. Slowly, he opened his eyes - and couldn't believe it... He was in a hospital. _-- Damn it --_ He thought. He has become weak... both physically and emotionally...

With his stubborn streak returning in a flash, Rock tried to get up from bed but an unbelievably wave of pain surged thru his body particularly at his chest. He looked and saw bandages with a small hint of blood absorbed by the cotton. He laid back and sighed.

Everything from him has been taken away... Why does he feel like going about again? Slowly, he looked to his left and was relieved. There in the other bed was... Duke Red. Unlike Rock, the Duke was covered in bandages. His left eye was bandaged and he was in a coma with an oxygen mask placed in his mouth...

Thankful to see his 'father' beside him, Rock took the time to look around his room and just across the beds were big windows occupying the whole section of the wall with sky blue curtains at the sides. He could see what has remained of the Ziggurat...

OK... He knew he was the one who pushed the button that caused the collapse of the building. He took a huge risk of that and thankfully, he and the duke were still alive _(Yeah, It is impossible... But, hey, this is my story, y'know.)_

Rock then noticed that his clothes were taken away and were replaced by a with hospital gown. Beside his bed was a small drawer. A phone was on top of it. There was also a vase on it but no flowers in it. Of course, who would pay a visit for them...?

Just then, he heard the door open which was to the right to his bed and a nurse with brown hair came in.

"Uhh... Good morning, sir... How long have you been awake?" She asked.

"About five minutes ago, I guess..." Rock answered.

"I see... About ten minutes since the Fall of the Ziggurat, all rescue teams have managed to save hundreds of victims, including you and the Duke. It was a miracle that the two you actually survived. I mean you were both last seen at the highest level of the tower... It truly is a miracle, sir..." The nurse explained.

As the nurse was talking, the patient observed her for a while... She was well-dressed, complete with the uniform, the small white cap on her head and an ID clipped on her left pocket. Her brown hair was like silk as it fell to her shoulders. And her eyes...? The eyes were the reason why Rock was even listening to her. It was colored aqua blue... Rock has to admit that _she is beautiful_...

"So... uh... what's your name?" Rock suddenly asked out of the blue. This shocked the nurse as Rock looked real serious and didn't even think he was listening. But as doubly surprised as her was, of course, Rock. Of course, he had never asked a GIRL her name ever in his whole life...

"B-Becka Goldhart, s-sir..." She managed to say.

"I see... That's a nice name." Rock complimented with a smile... _– Damn it... Am I getting soft or something? –_

Becka's cheeks began to blush. "W-well, I have to c-check the other patients, sir. If you need me, just give me a call. The number is 324 Just say your name when asked." She smiled and her aqua blue eyes twinkled as she left the room.

Rock nodded as she left. He sighed. _– Okaaayy... Why the hell did I ask for her name in first place? –_

But, Rock figured that he will get the answer to that question. He soon decided to get some more sleep.

Since, that was probably the only thing that he can do at the moment...

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Hours passed, still Kenichi was there in the dangerous maze of rubbles of the Ziggurat looking for Tima...or what was left of her, though.

But this time, since Kenichi planned to have her fixed to the same person who has fixed Fifi, he figured that he would a need a sketch or an outline of some kind. Kenichi remembered something about a red notebook that had all of Dr. Laughton's notes and sketches about Tima.

So as Fifi and the other robots searched for what potentially can be a part of Tima, the Japanese kid looked for the red notebook...

But finding it wasn't really easy. It was like searching a needle in a pile of a haystack. For this case though, the 'needle' could have been destroyed by the fire or crushed from the rubbles. And the 'haystack' was like a pile of dangerous objects lying around. One wrong step could lead to fatal injuries or even worse...

After more than a couple of hours of searching, Kenichi sat on a safe place to rest. He was not only exhausted but hungry and thirsty as well. He's a human of pure flesh and blood, after all. What would we expect?

Suddenly, something caught his eye. Something like a small speck of bright yellow was on the ground from where he was resting. Kenichi bent down to see what it is. After realizing what it is, he carefully took out the pieces of rubble and scraps that covered it. And yes, true to what he thought it would be, it was a picture of a small child with short blond hair. It was Tima... Well, the human Tima, of course.

Thinking that the photo would lead to a trail of pictures and pages and finally to the notebook, Kenichi's hope began to perk up once again. Digging to where he thinks is his last chance to finally be with his friend, he dug even faster and faster and faster and...There it was. Although, a little destroyed at the sides, some of the important pages were still kept intact.

"Fifi! Fifi!" The boy cried. The said robot came nearer as well as the others. Showing them a certain page, Kenichi pointed to a list of the parts... It may not have been Tima's but it can still fit.

And so, with a more strong reference and renewed hope; Kenichi, Fifi and the other robots searched the entire site... Indeed, Kenichi has always been rewarded with so much more than what he has given...

_**He may have one more chance to save Tima again. Meanwhile, he hopes that the Duke will live...**_

_**And who is Becka in Rock's life? Will she have the chance to meet Kenichi and the robots?**_

_**Metropolis... Once a great and legendary, now fallen and weak... But just like in the fable of Pandora's Box, there is always hope lurking around the corner...**_

_**And yet this is only the beginning... Metropolis is trying to rebuild itself...**_

_**But just like Hope, an unknown enemy lurks secretly... waiting to catch its prey...**_

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -(KAWAII HANA 08)- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -**

**AUTHOR's RANTING:**

Okaaayy... For those who already know me, I know what you guys are thinking: - A_aahh! She started another one again!!! – _Oh well, I'm sorry... Ahehehe... Well this story has been in my computer for like two years.

I couldn't get it to coz of well problems in Internet connections back then. And so that was why my FF8 fic was the first that I had posted.

Anyway, there will more chappies on this one as I have done this a long time ago. However, this isn't still finished yet. I had to do a rewrite... Ahehehe... (_Sweatdrops)_

Anyway, don't forget to review... Thanks for reading and...

**SAYONARA!**


	2. Chapter 1: Just call me Rock

_**METROPOLIS II: Save the City!**_

_**-Kawaii Hana-**_

_**DISCLAIMER: **_ I do not own Metropolis or any of its characters... Just sad they didn't give a sequel to it though...

**NOTE TO READERS:**

_-- Italic --_ Thoughts of the person

_(Italic)_ Small commentary from me

**Bold **Emphasized words

_**Bold Italic**_ Introduction/Ending statements of the chapter

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_**Chapter 1**_

"_**Just Call me... Rock..."**_

_**Rock awakes in place where he might a friend... While Kenichi seeks a place where his friend can be awaken from a 'bad dream'...**_

Hours passed, Kenichi managed to find a part matching the ones in the notebook. He may not be an expert in robotics or machine-related type of things but he hopes the person will do everything it takes to fix Tima...

They have finished searching for parts. And Fifi was leading Kenichi and the other rest of the group to a place where the boy believes is where Fifi was fixed.

One thing the boy noticed though is that each robot he's with came from a different zone. It seems the robots were finally given freedom. This could only mean that the Metropolis must have had a new president... But who could it be?

As if someone heard the boy's mind, a newspaper was swept by the wind landing in front of Kenichi's feet. Instinctively, he picked it up and found out that it was a newspaper for today. As he walked, he read the headlines which read:

_METROPOLIS NOW HAS A NEW LEADER: RAVEN GOLDHART!_

_Due to the sudden death of President Boone, the young vice president has agreed to take over while waiting for elections to come in three years. The formal induction only happened this morning in his new office. With the power, the president quickly issued freedom for the robots and the reconstruction of the fallen Ziggurat... The people responded happily to the president's wishes as he..._

Kenichi stopped reading as he realized his robot friends were already far away ahead... He decided to read some more later.

As he walked, he wore a smile. Maybe Metropolis had some hope yet...

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Opening his eyes to the same room, he sighed annoyingly. It peeves him to think that he was a feared person and here he is too weak to even to sit up from bed.

The only thing that made him want to stay was the fact that Duke Red was just close by. Everything he did was for him. And so, he will always be there by his side...

But after a few seconds, he laughed softly to himself. It is about time the truth has to sink in...Sink in hard...

_-- Knock it off, Rock! You know he's not giving you back anything... To him, I'm just a pawn for a bigger purpose... To have his daughter back... I'm just nothing... –_

Instantly, Rock wiped of what seemed to be a bit of moisture in his eyes. _(He won't admit it is tears, y'know.)_

In order to get rid of this sudden moment of depression, Rock looked around for something to do and noticed that the drawer beside his bed had not only new placed flowers in the vase but also a newspaper...

_- Who could've brought the flowers here? Nobody in this sad city-nation would have the time to visit us at this time...? –_ The ex-Marduk thought.

Taking the newspaper carefully, Rock read the front page... and was flabbergasted. Metropolis already had a president just this morning...?

And guess what? This new president was only three years older than him... Unbelievable...

But wait a minute... The name of the person is Raven E. Goldhart...

It sounded familiar... _-- Wait... Becka Goldhart! --_ That was the name of the nurse from earlier...

Rock awkwardly looked at the phone. She said he can call her anytime... But he felt foolish for asking such a trivial question...

_-- This is just great! I get to be in this hospital for only 5 hours or so... And here I get to think whether or not will I ask a stupid question... If it weren't for father, I wouldn't even be here... --_

Then suddenly, as if the Duke's spirit heard his thoughts, Rock heard a voice somewhere in his head...

"_I am not your father!"_

There was something heavy inside him that makes want to explode or something...

Just then, as if by coincidence, Becka came in the room with a food tray in her arms...

"Uh, good evening, sir... I brought you a meal. You haven't eaten anything since this morning so..." The nurse stopped, noticing something. "Are you alright sir?"

"Huh... I-I'm fine..." Rock answered quickly.

"No, sir... You are not." Becka answered back plainly.

"Look! When I say I'm fine... I'm fine!" Rock shouted. And the nurse stayed quiet. Realizing he still had the newspaper on his hands, he looked at the front page.

"Oh... So this guy's like your brother or something?" He asked, showing the front page of the newspaper. The page had the picture of the newly-inducted president He had short brown hair, a muscular build as he was only wearing a red sweater and those eyes that were just like...

"Yes sir... He is my brother – older brother actually..." She smiled and her aqua blue eyes twinkled again.

"Um, sorry about you know... shouting in front of your face..." Rock suddenly apologized – which he had never done in his whole life...

"Don't worry, sir... I know how it feels to be helpless in a hospital... I have been through it myself..." Becka said encouragingly. "I remember I sprained my ankle during a baseball game. I spent a week on a hospital. I felt really helpless... But there was once a nice nurse that really took care of me... I guess... She's the sole reason why I took Nursing in college... Oh, I'm sorry, sir... I just got carried away..."

"No, no, no... I like it... And you know... You don't need to be polite. Just call me... Rock..." He reminded her, surprising both of them. Rock always preferred sir or Marduk instead being called his real name.

Nevertheless, the nurse nodded in obedience. "O- OK..."

Rock nodded. The nurse must have overcome her shyness. He could tell that she was just new.

"Um... who brought these flowers in here?" He asked, figuring she knew who the person was.

"Errgh... didn't you like it...?" Her cheeks began to blush again.

"You? You put the flowers in the vase?" He asked and seeing that she nodded, his lips formed a smile...

"Thank you... You stay true to your family name... Goldhart..." He commented and he heard her giggle.

From that moment on, as Rock went on to eat his dinner, he and Becka gradually warmed up and talked.

Rock didn't notice that he actually had a comic side in him but certainly liked the way Becka laugh. For just that moment, Rock had left behind his troubles and the burden pertaining about his father away for the first time... He felt like he had never even had those problems in his entire life... Because she looks like she never even had any problems...

"So, how does it feel to be the First sister?" Rock asked for a while. "Did you sleep well after knowing that?"

"Oh, I slept fine... It's just that...I can't eat!" She joked and they both laughed wholeheartedly. "But... Seriously, I couldn't believe it! I mean, he just became vice president because of the last election just a year ago...! It was totally unexpected..."

"Have you visited him in the Presidential Palace?" Rock asked.

"Oh yeah! I visited him at lunchtime! The place was humongous! And weird... the butlers already knew me and led me to Raven's room..."

"Maybe, he was expecting you..."

"Yeah... he's always like that..."

And suddenly, a voice interrupted their conversation...

"Nurse Goldhart, you are needed in Room 178A immediately!" A voice from the speakers installed in the room announced.

Both sighed. It was fun... but life must go on...

"I had fun, Rock! See you tomorrow, then..." Becka said smiling as she closed the door...

Rock sighed. Where was he again? Oh yeah... He was supposed to explode or something. But, he actually felt better now.

Taking the last bite of his dinner, Rock carefully placed the tray on the drawer and proceeded to continue reading the newspaper...

_**Rock has finally found a friend...**_

_**Kenichi has finally found a place to have his friend fixed...**_

_**And Metropolis found a leader whom they could truly trust...**_

_**But Danger lurks in its very shadows...**_

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -(KAWAII HANA 08)- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - **

**Author's here Again!**

**KAWAII HANA: **Hehe... You know what they say... **"Laughter is the best medicine!"** But, yes, if you guys noticed, I made a Rock a little OOC... But, hey, he is supposed open up in this story... you know...

**ROCK:** Why you! You made soft, touchy and that... that... lovestruck...Grrrrr!!! Too late!!! _(Takes a gun and shoots...)_

_**But the bullet turned to a flower seed...?**_

**KAWAII HANA: **Mwahahaha! I am the almighty author! I can make you do whatever I want you to do!

**ROCK:** B-But you put a disclaimer at the beginning of each chapter... You can't do anything!

**KAWAII HANA:** Oh... Then what just happened...? Besides, this is Fanfiction Land... _(Continues laughing harder)_

**ROCK:** (mutters) Crazy author...

**KAWAII HANA:** _(forms a nerve in her forehead)_ Why... you... Ungrateful! I could've made you cry in Becka's shoulders, you know... I could've made you commit suicide... And then you... you...

**ROCK:** _(gulps)_ H-hey! I-it was just a joke, alright?

**KAWAII HANA:** TOO LATE!!! (_Drops a 100 kg gold bar on Rock)_ Ha!!! There!!!

**ROCK:** Owwwwww! _(Has a big lump on his fore head... A big one...)_

**KAWAII HANA:** Hmph! Suit yourself! _(Sticks her tongue out to Rock then faces the readers)_ Well, I apologize for that... Hehehehe... You can submit a review now... but there are a lot of chapters there you know... So, thanks for reading and...

**SAYONARA!**


	3. Chapter 2: The Resistance Center

_**METROPOLIS II: Save the City!**_

_**-Kawaii Hana-**_

_**DISCLAIMER: **_ I do not own Metropolis or any of its characters... Just sad they didn't give a sequel to it though...

**NOTE TO READERS:**

_-- Italic --_ Thoughts of the person

_(Italic)_ Small commentary from me

**Bold **Emphasized words

_**Bold Italic**_ – Introduction/Ending statements of the chapter

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_**Chapter 2**_

_**The Resistance Center**_

It's not a joke...

When you walk around with cuts, bruises, and wounds all over your arms and legs... When you hadn't eaten or drunk all day... When you feel the weight of that sack of robot or humanoid parts over your shoulder crushing you down...

It's hard and impossible...

But if you are the Japanese boy named Kenichi... Those hardships are just nothing... The pain...? He can ignore it... All for the sake... of Tima...

An hour has passed since he got the newspaper, Kenichi and the other robots have been walking thru the rubbles of the Ziggurat and the civil-war torn streets of Metropolis...

"Uhhh...Fifi? Are we there yet?" Kenichi asked.

"Fifi? Fifi?" The said robot looked behind. "Fifi! Fifi!" Its three-fingered hand gave of what it looks like a thumbs-up.

"O-Ok... You're the boss..." Kenichi said as he and the other robots followed.

From the rubbles of the Ziggurat, the group had dug their way deeper. It seems that the collapse of the tower created a hole in Zone 1. So, since, the zone transporters are still out of service, it was a much faster way... but dangerous though... But with the help of a few friends made out of metal and machinery, Kenichi made it thru just fine...

It took them about nearly 30 minutes to get thru... And all what Kenichi got was a huge sigh relief and, well... a new bunch of cuts, bruises, and wounds scattering around his arms, his legs, and **his face**, too.

Soon after, it was then that Kenichi found the newspaper. Although, he really didn't get the chance to read it, he was relieved of the city-nation's status.

Even so, they still kept on walking... They have passed the destroyed slums, the food stalls, and finally... what seems to be relief centers...

Fifi was leading the others to a compound complex protected by a wall that had a huge gate. The gate had bullet holes, which gave a sign that the compound was not it is now. It was probably a residential area. But when, the Revolution started, the families must have fled from their home or ended up dead...

The gate was open for everybody as Kenichi and the rest of the group entered it thru easily. Kenichi couldn't believe what he was seeing...

_There were people and robots... together..._

The people most likely were stranded... Some were children without any parents. Some were with bandages, some with a missing body part or two. But there also some who were perfectly healthy. Kenichi figured they just didn't have a home to go to...

Like the people, there were robots which are either destroyed, moving around with a few missing parts or fixed ones that help around the place. Kenichi thought that this is where Fifi was fixed as well as the other robots.

_-- I guess this is where I should also stay... -- _Kenichi thought as he still hadn't slept, eaten, or drunk since his search for Tima's parts.

One by one, as Kenichi was still following Fifi around, the other robots left. It does really seem that their _'home base'_ is here.

The robot led Kenichi to a woman in her twenties... It made the boy notice something. She had blonde hair like Tima's but it was long, reaching down to her waist. And even though, he knew that it was already evening, she was still having sunglasses on... _(Weird...)_

"Oh... Fifi! What do you have for me now...?" She asked. Apparently, she looked like the leader of the place.

"Fifi! Fifi!" The robot answered excitedly and pointed its finger towards the boy. Kenichi walked a little closer to be notified... And Fifi left them to his original duties...

"Oh... My, my, you have scratches and wounds all over you! What happened?" She asked.

"Uh... Kind of looked for parts for a special robot-friend of mine?" The boy answered truthfully.

"I see... So, um, what's your name...?"

"It's Kenichi, miss." He bowed like how his country fellowmen introduce.

"Oh... A Japanese kid, huh? Well, my name is Tinnette... Nice to meet you!" She reached over her hand to him.

"Nice to meet you, too..." Kenichi had his eyebrows up. Tinnette had sunglasses on but she wasn't blind as she knew that he was Japanese by the way he introduced himself.

"So, um... what's that you're carrying?" She asked, noticing the sack that the boy never ever released from his grip. _(OK... She is not really blind...)_

"Err... this sack contains some parts of a robot which..." Kenichi began.

"What's that? A robot that takes care of you... A Service Robot?" Tinnette assumed.

"Oh no! No... She's my best friend..." Kenichi told her, not really knowing how to explain. "Umm... it's a really long story..."

"Best friend, huh...? Don't worry. As you can see, the guys who stays here, whose also a friend of mine, fixed a lot of robots. Surely, he can fix your... um... best friend. Wait! I'll call him first..." She paused and then faced an opposite direction.

"Andy! ANDY! Get in here...!" She shouted at the top of her lungs which surprised Kenichi because he thought she was going to call this guy... **by phone**... _(Hehe...)_

"So..." She faced him again. "Does this robot have a name or something? Although, I'm pretty sure it has to be an animal name or a made-up one... coz of that you know... Human Rights whatever..."

"No, no, no... She's not... just any robot... Uhh..." Kenichi was tongue-tied. How could he explain everything to her...? "Well... Her name is Tima..."

"What did you say...?" She didn't quite hear what he said. Probably, because Kenichi's voice was too weak...

"Uh... her name's Ti-"

"What now!?" A voice suddenly interrupted Kenichi. Just standing in front of them was another guy... He had short black hair, noticeable round spectacles, and undoubtedly, a white long lab coat that covered his blue and gray overalls.

"Tinnette..." He began. "Why don't you beep me...!? You don't need to shout! And... Oh... who's this?" He looked at the wounded boy.

"Uh... Andy, this is Kenichi. He needs a robot friend fixed... Kenichi, this is one of my best friends... Andy. He's a robot and mechanics expert... He's the one in charge of fixing robots here... " Tinnette replied.

"I'm the only one fixing the robots here, Tinnette. Look, what time it is? It's my break time. I was napping when you woke me up... I didn't get any decent sleep ever since the whole revolution started!" Andy was complaining with his hands moving hysterically.

"Ehehehehe... Sorry..." The blonde woman apologized.

"Um... well then... It's all right. I-I can wait... Till you can have some sleep." Kenichi offered. After all, he needed to rest, too. He didn't stop for a break...

"Aww... See, Tinnette! Why don't you be a little bit more considerate sometimes...? Let me see that first..." Andy then proceeded to look over the sack that Kenichi has been holding on for hours.

One look at the inside and Andy's eyes began to widen. "This is not just any robot! These... These are parts of a humanoid! Ke- Kenitsu..."

"It's Kenichi!" Tinnette reminded him, rolling her eyes...

"Kenichi, where in the world did you got...? Well, in Japan, obviously... but..."

"No! I... uh... found her here... in Metropolis. In the late Dr. Laughton's lab while it was burning..." Kenichi tried to explain but he was yet again going to be interrupted.

"Dr. Laughton!? My master created this?" Andy was already being heard through out the whole place. And they were getting a lot of attention, including the robots...

"Ummm... Andy? Kenichi? Can we go to the lab? It's much more private and certainly more quiet, y'know..." Tinnette suggested.

Both boys nodded in agreement.

Tinnette and Andy led the boy inside a building where they were standing nearby a minute ago. From inside, they went to the basement.

Inside, it really did give an impression that it was a laboratory. The room was fairly small as it was a basement. It had tools, mechanical parts, and **one certain egg-shaped dome** at one corner.

"Ok..." Andy began. "Why don't you tell your story...? The 'whole' story..."

And so, Kenichi told everything that happened from the very first moment he set foot in Metropolis with his uncle, from the time he first saw Tima, from the time they both met Atlas and his fellow rebels, from the time they were being hunted down by Rock, from the time of the fall of the Ziggurat...up to now... where he had finally found a place that can bring Tima back to life. _(I have to sum it up there... His story's damn too long...)_

"It was Rock that killed MY MASTER!?" Andy raged.

"W-well that was what my uncle told me before he left..." Kenichi sighed... "Um... in what way were you related to Dr. Laughton, anyway?"

"I served as his apprentice during college... He disappeared a year ago. I guess that was when he started making... Tima..." He looked over to Tinnette, who was bandaging Kenichi as he talked.

"Well... Can you make her alive again?" She asked, after the roll of bandages was finished. The boy looked over at the young scientist hopefully.

"Err... sort of... It's just... I don't know where to begin." Andy confessed, feeling a little guilty.

"Oh, maybe this is what you just need..." Kenichi rummaged thru the sack for that notebook.

"I used it when I was finding Tima's parts back at the tower's rubbles. Some of the pages are missing but... I hope it will help..." He explained as he handed the red notebook carefully to Andy.

Andy stared at the notebook. "This... this is the notebook I gave him for his birthday last year..."

Both Tinnette and Kenichi couldn't help but smile. The old scientist might be dead but his apprentice will always remain in his heart forever.

Slowly, he opened a page. "Look... the Duke gave him pictures so that he will know what the real Tima... used to look like..."

"Used to?" Kenichi asked.

"The real Tima was killed during the war ten years ago. It was believed to be a civil war but it was more like a terror-led scheme. It was called the 'Fog-of-Death' War. Through out the whole city, the terrorists threw smoke bombs so that soldiers or the police can't see anything. It killed a lot of civilians in the process..." Tinnette paused... "Including our parents..."

"Oh... s-sorry... So, the real Tima was 12 years old then. And you guys were like her age..." Kenichi said. It might have been really hard for Duke Red to accept that his daughter was gone...

Both nodded. There was a moment of silence. Kenichi wished he didn't bring the topic.

"Um... excuse me. I have to go." Tinnette said, breaking the silence. "Maybe there's a new bunch of people asking for help. Andy, just take care of...Tima. And Kenichi, you'll have to stay here... Um... why don't you stay in one of the flats upstairs...? I believe it's the last door to your left." With that, she left the basement.

"I guess... Tinnette's still having a hard time 'bout her... family..." Andy said. He continued, to scan over the notebook...

"Wow..." That was what the young scientist only commented. "This notebook has everything: illustrations, notes, step-by-step procedures, and even pictures of...the late Tima herself..."

"So, can you fix her?" Kenichi asked.

Andy laughed. "Are you kidding? This notebook hit the jackpot...! I can bring Tima back to life in a week's time." He proudly declared.

"Really? Thank you so much!" Kenichi bowed again.

"Don't worry, Kenichi. I'm doing this for you... You deserve it! And..." His voice trailed.

"For Dr. Laughton, too..." The boy said as he smiled. "Uh... Andy? Have you ever by chance... uh... happen to fix some kind of a detective robot here?" He asked, one more time. _(He was talking about Pero...)_

"Oh... that? Well, yeah, I did... But it was the police that hired me to do the job. The robot's back at the station, refueling, I guess..." The young man recalled.

"Well, that's good to hear!" Kenichi said, and then he yawned. "I guess I should take a nap or something..."

"OK..."

With that, the boy went to the flat Tinnette told him about. But, he forgot where he's supposed to go. Luckily, he had met up with Tinnette once again, giving him more explicit directions to his flat and the key...

According to Tinnette, the whole compound had 24 buildings - about 6 buildings placed horizontally in each of the 4 rows. Each building has three floors – 16 rooms within each floor and a basement. Each room has also at least one bathroom and one kitchen. Bleachers scatter around the whole place and there is even a playground situated at the right of the compound.

In Kenichi's case, his _'flat'_ was located at the very end of the second floor hallway facing the left. It was fit for one person: one bedroom, the bathroom on one side, the kitchen at the other. The rest was just for living room purposes. The walls were painted as it was previously been resided. The floor was covered with red carpet. It made Kenichi feeling more at home, and **certainly sleepier than ever**.

Entering the bedroom, there, near a small window, was the bed... The boy sighed. Finally, he can actually get some sleep.

He carefully took off his green jacket and placed it on a nearby chair. Taking off his shoes, he literally jumped in bed. It was actually his first time to nap in a **'real bed'** since his trip to Metropolis...

And so, the Japanese kid finally had his well-deserved rest...

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Finally waking up about two hours later, Kenichi stifled a yawn and stretched. He didn't exactly know why he woke up to early but he figured maybe it was just hunger.

He slipped back in to his shoes and walked casually into the kitchen. He carefully checked the drawers and smiled at seeing a box of Japanese snacks. _– Maybe, somebody from Japan used to live here... –_

Is that why Tinnette placed him here? We may never know... Taking a **barbecue-flavored potato chip bag** that he liked, he went back to the living room to eat. He sat at the sofa as he ate. There was no TV so it was kind of boring.

Just then, a couple of knocks was heard at the front door. Kenichi stood up to answer it. "Coming!"

He opened the door. It was Tinnette. "Hi, Kenichi! Feeling at home, already?" Tinnette asked, noticing the snack. "Oh well, there is someone lonely at the other end of the hall... I brought him here to have a little chat. Is that okay with you?"

Kenichi nodded.

"He's someone you know... See?" Tinnette pulled an arm from a very reluctant person.

And that person turned out to be...

"Atlas!?" Kenichi gasped. "You're alive...!?"

"You too...!?" That was all this former rebel leader could say as well. In all honesty, Kenichi wouldn't have recognized him if it weren't for the way he stood. His features softened. His hair was only tied up by a single ponytail. His hat was gone... His clothes were changed into more casual and cleaner ones. And he had an arm sling holding his heavily bandaged left arm...

"Well..." Tinnette began. "I didn't know you guys have to react that much but... yeah... Go on... talk about the old days or something, 'kay?" With that the blonde woman left...

The two decided to walk around outside the building. Kenichi decided to finish his snack later and returned it safely to the drawer. There were still people and moving to and fro around the whole place.

"So... what happened to you...? You've got wounds and cuts all over you!" It was Atlas who first talked.

Kenichi told him the whole story again, surprising the older person as he never knew that Tima was some kind of a robot...

"Well, well... that sweet little girl is being fixed by Andy now, huh...?" Atlas commented.

"You know... You and Rock seem to **share a strong hatred** for robots..." Kenichi told him. "And yet you guys are enemies... Weird..."

"Well... found myself a soul mate, then" He said sarcastically...

"Well, what about you..." It was Kenichi's turn, but Atlas went silent for a while...

"Thanks to this Center, I'm alive... I was shot three times...Twice in my left sides... And one in this arm..." He said.

"You looked like you were dying back then..." Kenichi said.

"I thought I was gonna die... but it was Tinnette, Andy, and Becka who saved my life..." Atlas explained.

"Becka?" Kenichi didn't know there was another one.

"Oh... She's the nurse who found me by the hospital... Luckily, the other two was there to help... All I remember is seeing is that white light... Turns out... It was really a florescent light in a hospital room. But the hospital didn't want a rebel leader within their vicinity. So the three decided to put me here, although, the other people didn't like the idea, too... It was the only choice. So... I'm here recovering... It has been three days since I can get up from bed..."

"Did you find any of your comrades here or the hospital?" Kenichi asked again.

"Nobody..." Atlas looked gloomier than ever. "There was a rumor that nobody actually survived against the military... They're all...gone..."

"Oh... Sorry, I asked..." Kenichi gulped.

"That's okay, kid. This place helped me a lot... Glad you're here, though. Nobody wants to talk to me... They're all scared to death!" The wounded leader complained. "You know what? I wish I had never started the revolution... I would still have all my friends..."

"Hey... that's OK... I'm your friend!" Kenichi tried to cheer him up.

"Aww... OK then, give a minute to cry..." Atlas pouted his lips playfully. They both laughed and both felt better.

Both sat at the bleachers area...

"So, how does this Becka look like?" Kenichi asked, trying to get this conversation into a lighter tone.

"Here, I'll show you a picture of her." Atlas picked a familiar newspaper on the ground. Scanning the pages, he showed a page with the inside story of the new president... with a picture of him and his sister...

"Becka? Becka Goldhart!? She lives here?" Kenichi was totally surprised as he grabbed the newspaper.

"Yup... President Raven Goldhart used to be here, too... Until he got inducted this morning, he's been busy all day... It was he who founded the Resistance Center, along with other Centers in Zone 1 and the surface area... But, he assigned Tinnette to take over before he left." Atlas explained again.

"Oh yeah... speaking of Tinnette... Why is she wearing sunglasses even in the dark?"

"Heard she's hiding her identity... She's a fashion model, y' know... **Maybe it's showbiz?"** Atlas shrugged. "It seems that Andy, Becka, and the President know what she really looks like... They were like best friends when they were at the orphanage..."

"Oh... I know that... During that 'Fog-of-Death' War... their parents were killed... Even the Goldharts, too?" Kenichi realized.

"Uh-huh... My parents, too... And so are my friends..." Atlas went silent again. "We weren't so lucky... We used to live in the streets till we found ourselves families who couldn't even feed themselves, too... We had to work while going to school... Didn't have enough money for college, though..."

"Really..? Err...sorry... again..." Kenichi apologized. "I don't know much about this war... I was only two years old... "

"I was 12 back then just like you are now. I was so... damn innocent... I still remember my real family... but I just don't know where to look..." Atlas said. He was no longer scared to tell anything...

"Don't you think **it's more than a coincidence**? That you were placed in the care of orphans from ten years ago...like you...?" The boy pondered.

"Well, that's a nice thing to think about... but, oh well..." Atlas said as he went up from his seat.

"Where are you going...?"

"In each building, there is always one person who prepares the food... In ours, it's Tinnette. It's about 8:10 PM... Time for dinner!" Atlas chuckled as Kenichi rolled his eyes.

Their building was situated at the middle of the first row, facing the main gate. Tinnette shares her flat with Becka. As for Andy, he stays in his basement to work... but goes up at Tinnette's when he's hungry...

Just as Atlas and Kenichi entered, somebody also entered the main gate.

"Hey, Atlas! You finally found a friend, huh?" It was Becka, who just came home from the hospital. Her shift is during the day but since transportation is a less sufficient, she had to walk...

She was wearing normal casual clothes, with a backpack containing her used uniform in it...

"Hi, Becka... This is our new neighbor... Kenichi! Came here to have a robot friend of his fixed... Kenichi, this is Becka Goldhart!" Atlas introduced.

"Hi, there...Kenichi... Nice to meet you." Both shook hands politely.

"Well then, I have to change first. But, you'll have to tell what the hell happened to you, OK...?" Becka said with a smile... And the boy nodded.

And so, Kenichi had to tell the whole story again **for the third time** today...

But with a little help from the others, of course...

_**The Resistance Center...**_

_**Founded to help both people and robots alike...**_

_**A place where both Kenichi and Atlas finally found peace...**_

_**Will Tima be fixed...?**_

_**Why does Tinnette have to hide her face...?**_

_**And what was the real reason behind the 'Fog-of-Death' War...?**_

_**Could it happen... again...?**_

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (00000 (KAWAII HANA) 00000) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - **

**AUTHOR SPEAKS AGAIN!**

**KAWAII HANA: **Yet another chapter finished! Whew...

**BECKA:** Ummm... Kawaii Hana!? Hi there... Why didn't you put Rock here this time...?

**KAWAII HANA:** Ohhh... Ehehehehe _(Sweat drops...)_ He's in the medic room...

**BECKA:** Medic room!?

**KAWAII HANA: **Yeah... well... Long story!

**ROCK:** _(Entering the scene, with a big bandage rolled over his head)_ Oww... where is that author...? Grrr... She is really gonna get it...

**KAWAII HANA:** _(faces the audience, then shrugs...)_ Oh well, please don't forget to review... Thanks for reading and so...

**SAYONARA!**


	4. Chapter 3: Together Again

_**METROPOLIS II: Save the City!**_

_**-Kawaii Hana-**_

_**DISCLAIMER: **_ I do not own Metropolis or any of its characters... Just sad they didn't give a sequel to it though...

**NOTE TO READERS:**

_-- Italic --_ Thoughts of the person

_(Italic)_ Small commentary from me

_Italic_ – a flashback passage

**Bold **Emphasized words

_**Bold Italic**_ – Introduction/Ending statements of the chapter

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_**Chapter 3**_

_**Together Again...**_

_**They were all he had... They were all he knew... But now, they're gone... **_

_**If he didn't start the revolution, would they be still there... by his side...?**_

_**Would he still see her... her smile... her eyes... just her...?**_

_**Would he still have the chance to tell her...? That he...**_

He stares at things not exactly known... He stares over the horizon with grief-stricken eyes... He held his head low... As if he was tormenting himself in defeat and... Regret...

It has been five days since he first came to the Resistance Center; Kenichi came to settle down as well as the other people and robots...

Today was the first day of the weekend. So, Becka is on a day-off as she only works during weekdays at daytime. During this free time, she helps Tinnette manage the day-to-day activities in the Center. But this time... She makes a call:

"Hello? Uh, Room 012, please... Hello Rock? Uh, sorry I didn't tell you I only work during weekends... Oh really? You got worried...? It's okay. I'm fine... See you in two days then... Alright! Bye!"

The brunette nurse hanged up phone as she smiled with content. Just then, her best friend entered their flat.

"Hi, Beck! Who was that? Raven?" She asked.

"Huh? Oh... it was a patient of mine who just needed someone to talk to, that's all. I just called to say I only work on weekdays. He got worried, though. But, everything's fine..." Becka shrugged.

"Ohhh... It's a _**'he'**_..." Tinnette remarked teasingly with the matching smile...

"Knock it off, Tinnette! He's just a patient!" A sudden defense was the reply. _(It's obvious already, huh?)_

"Hey, chill! I'm just kidding, y'know..." Tinnette said and they both went back down outside.

It was around 10:00 in the morning. Most of the people were awake. Andy was taking a break from his work as he cuts time for fixing robots and recreating Tima. Kenichi was there to help, either running some errands or just buying food for the hungry Andy.

Fifi was, of course, the trash picker of the whole compound. As you can see, the new president issued a law that since that robots no longer needed to be strictly placed in one place, **what you find or fix is yours to own**, except when hired or paid to do the job. And so, there were good numbers working for the maintenance and safety of the Center.

"Hello, Kenichi! So what do you think of the Resistance Center? Pretty cool, huh...?" Tinnette asked as she and Becka happened to pass by the Japanese kid and Andy sitting on one of the bleachers.

"Yes..." Kenichi answered. "But..." He looked over that lone Atlas staring at something... Even though, he had Kenichi and the rest to talk to, he still looked lonely...

"Yeah... He's been like that ever since he got here..." Tinnette pointed..." He seems to blame himself for starting the revolution... He lost everybody he knew..."

"But, he fought for freedom, right!? Why did he have to suffer?" Kenichi asked.

"Yeah... But, it was a war, man! In war, no matter how innocent or evil you are, nobody is exempted from the clutches of death... After all, what's the worth of finally having freedom or rights? When you lost the people dear to you..." Andy said.

All sighed... They all feel sorry for him... He may be uneducated or may have lived a reckless life... But, deep inside, he was still a human whose purpose made him a bigger loss...

"Well, this Center is built for the people to start over again. We should help him recover..." Tinnette suggested.

"It's not that easy." Becka pointed out. "For starters, he won't even open up... He just keeps it within himself..."

Andy sighed. "That's gonna make it worse..."

"Well, there's nothing we can do... Let's just wait till he'll want to talk..." Tinnette said.

Suddenly, Atlas left the bleachers and went to one of the swings at the playground just across where the bleachers were.

"C'mon... He feels a little insecure that we're talking 'bout him... let's sit at the bench near the gate..." The blonde woman said, fixing her sunglasses into place.

Both left to give the lonely young man some time alone...

They sat by the benches to talk about other things... But, it seems the thought about Atlas won't go away...

"Hmph..." Tinnette sighed once again. "I wish somebody will show up from nowhere... Crying... telling us that she's looking for someone for days..."

All were dumbfounded... _**But, as they say, be careful for what you wish for...**_

"U-uh... E-excuse me... I'm looking for someone..."

The group by the gate turned to see the origin of the voice...

She had small tears in her gray eyes, ready to drop... She looked exhausted... She looked like she never even stopped to rest or had anything to eat... She looked like she was ready to collapse...

But she stood firmly. Even though, she was shaking and shivering...

Just like someone from the slums, she wore hand-me-down clothes: an oversized T-shirt, a black vest on top, long black baggy worn down pants, two white tennis shoes and a purple scarf tied on her black hair...

"U-uh... No problem. Who are you looking for...?" Tinnette, being the leader, rushed in to comfort her...

"Here..." The new young woman also in her twenties carefully took a folded picture out from one of her vest pockets and showed it to the blonde woman...

She looked at the picture... and smiled... "You know what?" She said. "He has been waiting for you..." Slowly, she pointed her finger to the playground's direction...

"O-Oh, thank you...!" With that, the raven haired woman sprinted towards the play ground... She ran as if her life is on the line... Come to think to it, she has known him all her life...

She reached the playground quickly... She almost tripped in excitement...

There he was...Alone... Sitting on a lone swing... His head hung low and stared point blank...

"A-Atlas..." Her voice was too weak... She has to speak louder...

"Atlas!!!"

His eyes widened_... - That voice... It belongs to... No... It's impossible... –_

He looked to where the overjoyed calling of his name came from... And he was utterly shocked...

"Shay..." His voice found itself after days of silence...

They ran towards each other, giving a warm embrace... A heartwarming reunion after days of separation...

Tinnette and the rest caught up just in time... Seeing the two in a close embrace...

"I'm so glad I found you... I thought I was going to be alone... forever..."

"Don't worry... We'll always be together no matter what..." Atlas said after he had released her.

Meanwhile, the group had their own share of smiles...

"Awwwww... I didn't Atlas can actually say sweet things..." Becka whispered to her best friend.

Kenichi went near the two and waved, congratulating them for their reunion.

"So, Atlas... She's the answer to all your problems all along. What's her name...? Is she your sister or '_girlfriend_'?" The Japanese kid asked with a teasing grin and as he emphasized the last word. He could see thru their blushing faces...

"Shay is my best friend, Kenichi. Gee... You're still a kid and you're getting a lot of ideas..." Atlas defended as he put his healthy arm around the newcomer now smiling and without a trace of sadness...

"Well, we haven't still properly introduced ourselves..." Tinnette said. "My name is Tinnette. This is Becka. Andy's right there... And this kid's name is Kenichi..."

Each person came forward as his/her name was called. Shay shook hands with each one.

"So... This is the Resistance Center. Thank you so much for saving Atlas's life..." Shay said.

Atlas took Shay to his flat and obviously this where she is going to stay for the meantime.

It was noticeable, though. The way how Atlas's sad demeanor vanished, the way he held her hand inside the building and the way how felt they embraced back at the playground... It was a sight to see...

Likewise for Shay as well, she was crying when she first entered the Center. And when Kenichi mentioned the word...'girlfriend', the two reunited 'friends' were hiding their faces.

"Well, well, didn't know Atlas had a girl..." Andy said.

"I guess... Even though, they have been separated for an amount of time, they are still **'destined'** to be together... All they've got to do... Is to confess..." Becka commented.

"Well, let's welcome her properly." Kenichi suggested. "And tease Atlas more... Hehehehe..."

Apparently, the other agreed to that and proceeded towards Atlas's flat.

They found them sitting in one of couches. The architectural structure of the flat was like Kenichi's. It was the furniture and appliances that noted the difference.

Both were seated at a white couch. Shay took off her scarf and let head rest. She was exhausted in finding Atlas as she had never took the time to rest.

The others were there to talk about how Atlas came here... While the former rebel leader told them about the times he and Shay spent together...

He and Shay have always known each other ever since they were **only three years old**. They came from well-to-do families. Both families were actually friends... All went well until they were twelve...

It was the time of the Fog-of-Death war. The two were separated from their families. Their neighborhood was in shambles. Both Atlas and Shay had **no more homes to go to** as the civil war raged on...

Well, they had found a home three days later since the war started. **In the slums, that is**. There, they each learned to work in order to eat. The problem was... most of the time; they had nothing to eat...

Only finishing high school, Atlas, Shay and a few friends resorted to form a gang. Just like regular gangs, they steal, scare, and threaten other people. But what they steal or take in is shared to their fellows... Like a family...

Years passed... No matter what trouble they get into, Atlas and Shay would **always be together**... They have each other's shoulder to cry on, ears to listen to each other's problems and the company that both has always treasured...

Becka, who was listening, began to shed some tears because their story reminded about her and her own brother's struggle during the time of the war... albeit, they were luckier to have stayed in orphanage before they moved to a boarding school with fellow orphans Tinnette and Andy...

On the other hand, Atlas and Shay's lives were **a struggle**. Soon, not long after forming a gang, Atlas decided to lead a faction of rebels against Duke Red, the Marduks, and the robots. He blamed more on the latter because of them that even the poor humans in the city can't even find decent jobs...

"Hey, that reminds me... When Tima and I were staying with you guys, how come I didn't get the chance to see Shay...?" Kenichi asked.

"Oh... that... Well, it seems Shay's busy whenever you were around..." Atlas replied and looked at Shay. "In fact, this is Shay's first time to see you kid..."

"Aww... Really?" Kenichi shrugged. "Well, what happened during the Revolution...?"

Silence followed... The rest of the group could tell that this one is going to be hard to tell.

Atlas spoke in first... "A guy came to me... He said the President's going to help us defeat Duke Red and Marduks... They said he'll give homes for the homeless, jobs so that they can start a new life... He was so convincing that... I thought that was the sign I was looking for that... Now is the time to fight...But... They betrayed us!!!"

The others were sort of surprised by his sudden outburst. So Shay explained the rest...

"It turns out... We, with only rifles and cheap guns were heading against soldiers, tanks and bombs... We thought the government's going to help us... Bit it was like against two again one! So, Atlas decided he'll confront the President Boone himself... and I accompanied him..."

Another moment of silence ensued...

"Well, what... happened next...?" Tinnette asked, not sure if the conversation will even continue...

Both Atlas and Shay looked at each other for a moment...

It was only just yesterday of that horrifying experience... An experience that will scar their memories...

**Forever...**

- - - - - (000) - - - - -

_It was a cloudy day... Everything seemed to be gloomy as snow began to fall down to the city-nation of Metropolis even though it was way too early for Christmas..._

_Apparently, the weather control tower was damaged due to the war. And snow was falling down endlessly. Metropolis was __**a complete mess**__... Wrecked cars served as bonfire for many homeless people... Robot corpses littered in the snow... As for the human ones, that's another story..._

_Somebody had declared Martial Law so somehow the battles were stopped. Helicopters flew across the city-nation... Soldiers patrolled the streets. It seems as though the whole rebel faction has been eliminated..._

_Except there were two more left . . . Approaching the President's Building..._

_One was a male... His dark eyes were flashing __**with anger and hatred**__. His body had wounds perfectly covered by his dark clothes... His rifle gun was covered by his cloak to keep himself warm..._

_The other was a female... This one was quite the opposite. Even though, she too, had a rifle covered by her own cloak, her silver-like eyes were laced __**with worry and fear**__... She had once protested about starting the Revolution. She only became a part of it... because of him... _

"_Atlas... This is too dangerous... Are you sure of what you're doing? We should go back..." A voice from the female bore a shaking voice..._

"_No... They promised to help us! We have lost all communication with all of our friends! I want to speak to this good-for-nothing president! And there's nothing in this damned city-nation is going to change my mind!!!" His voice was determined and harsh..._

_She looked at him deeply as they hid from car wreck to another... _

_He has __**changed**__...He turned into a totally different person... Ever since, the Revolution started, he was a person she didn't know... A once caring and happy young man... Now he was hateful, stubborn, and darker that even she didn't even if she was scared or what... _

_They have reached the President's Building. In order not to be detected by the soldiers that guarded the place, Atlas and Shay secretly entered at the back through the emergency exit door... _

_From there, they took the long flight of stairs to its highest place. That way, they were able to hide from the soldiers in the inside of the Building._

_The highest floor had two doors... One was for the rooftop and the other to their destination... The President's Room..._

_He kicked the door opened, knocking down the soldiers that tried to stop him. She only followed from being but she could feel his hand holding hers protectively._

_He was __**like a storm**__... His anger boiled inside him as he walked towards the desk and the chair behind it was facing the wall... The one sitting on it seemed to not care about what was going on in his office..._

_Then, he stopped... just in front of the desk. His anger grew as his grip on her hand tightened..._

"_I thought you said you were going to help us out!!! We were there... fighting! And what do we find!? Tanks stampeding...! Bombs falling out of nowhere...! Gunshots shooting all around! We don't even know which is a friend or foe!!! So... You tell me, traitor president! Why the heck did you promise to help us when you damn well did not!!!?"_

_His fuming shouts silenced the whole room silencing everyone present... And yet, there was no reply..._

"_HEY! Answer me, you coward!!!"_

_The chair turned around to face them. Both Atlas and Shay gasped and were now confused..._

"_I believe you are mistaken... I didn't promise anything to you... Because I'm not the president, either..." The man's voice had an eerie and unnerving sound..._

"_What!? What is this!? Some kind of joke!? Where the hell is the president!?" Atlas shouted again, getting more confused and enraged than he already is..._

"_Ohhh... You're looking for the President, I see? Well then... Let me properly introduce myself." The mysterious man got up from his seat and approached the red couches. "I am the General of the Metropolitan military... And this..."_

_He pointed of what seemed to be a corpse on one of the red couches that both rebels failed to notice... It was a little too far away to see who it is... They resolved to go closer._

"_And this..." The General continued. "Is the President..."_

_The two gasped. Right before their eyes was the leader of Metropolis – President Boone, lifeless in any description you want to utter..._

_There lying in his own couch was the President. His body was covered with blood... His eyes were still open staring motionlessly at the chandeliers of the room..._

"_Dammit!" Atlas muttered in his shock. His mouth agape... No word can be formed in his mouth..._

_Shay could not even look at the corpse. She covered her mouth thinking she might vomit... In her quivering state, she uttered, "W-Who would want to d-do this...?"_

"_Oh! I did...!" The General raised his hand proudly like he was a student who wanted to answer a teacher's question. _

_Atlas tightened his grip on Shay's hand harder and protectively... "W-What...?"_

"_Oh... what I meant to say is... I ordered to my men to do so..." The General took a cigar from his pocket and lighted it._

"_Why!? Then what was our purpose!?" Atlas spoke even after his shock took him aback for a second._

"_Well then, let's see... Hmm..." He went near the desk again and was looking at some papers._

"_Oh I remember now... It is right here, see... I was using the President to get to... you..." He pointed his cigar to Atlas._

"_And so while you were doing that Revolution thing of yours..." He continued, "That would be perfect time for me to kill the President..."_

"_Oh... I see... We were just a distraction... So that the Marduks will more focused on us while you and some of your damned soldiers will go to the President and..."_

"_Bingo! My dear boy... You hit the jackpot." The General commented as he put back his cigar back into his mouth. _

"_Then what are you going to do with us now?" Atlas asked, but it was more like demanded..._

_The General smiled as reply. But not just a smile... A creepy and an evil smile. _

"_Phase 1: Eliminate the President..."_

_Silence ensued. Even for that moment, both Atlas and Shay stopped breathing..._

"_Phase 2: Eliminate the weak... elements..." _

"_What the hell do you mean by that!?" Atlas fumed again. _

"_Let's just say this whole plan... is to create a new nation... a nation the whole world will worship..." His eyes looked up in a pathetic dreaming state... "But, first... I have to get rid of the... weak elements... _

"_WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SAY!?!" Atlas's anger reached its highest point. He was about to attack the General when the one of the guards pointed a gun at him._

"_Well, well, Atlas... How did you know I was talking about you...?" The General complimented sarcastically. _

"_Well, it was good thing you were here, though... I can have my guards kill you and your friend here..."_

"_You son-of-a..." Atlas began to mutter when he heard a gunshot from behind killing the guard who was pointing at him earlier _

_It was Shay who pulled the trigger. _

_Instantly, both sprinted towards the door where they came from, shooting at the guards that they came their way. In minutes, they have left the President's building and hid between the cramped buildings under the falling snow..._

_But, the soldiers and...Even the Marduks kept chasing after them. Though, they were already worn out, they had to keep on running or else it will __**be their end**_

_To the dark alleys was their last resort... Just ahead was their hideout. Before they left, there were a good number of comrades left. They have to warn them that it was a trap. _

_Then, there were gunshots... The Marduks spotted them again. It was heard to their left..._

_Somebody must distract them... _

_Then without thinking, Atlas faced Shay... "OK... No more objections. Shay, you have to go ahead and warn everybody about what we learned... I'll go in front the Marduks to distract them and..."_

"_What!? Are you crazy!?" Shay demanded. "Atlas... That's like committing suicide!"_

"_Shay, this is the only way! Somebody must distract them and the other must go ahead to warn the others..." Atlas said as he held her hands._

"_But, Atlas... You might die... Everybody we have known is gone... You're the only one left... Please stay with me..." Her tears flowed from her eyes like eternal rain. She was shaking and cold. It was evident that she was scared..._

"_Shay... Please listen to me... This Revolution thing was fault... I shouldn't have forced you into this..." His voice bore shame and atonement..._

_Shay had stared at him even the situation was against them..._

_He was back... The funny, loving, and caring person whom she had known all her life... His raging anger had vanished... It was replaced by the tenderness and warm nature..._

"_But, Atlas..." Her voice was weak from all her sobbing but he had to interrupt her again._

"_Shay..." He touched one side of face, wiping off her tears, "I promise I will not die... For you..."_

_Shay had to close her eyes... Never had she had been given the chance to decide for herself... _

_She stared deeply into his eyes... She can tell he was scared, too... Scared for her..._

_She nodded slowly. And Atlas took her rifle so that he can use both rifles to defend himself..._

_With that, she dashed towards the hideout with all her strength... Just then..._

_She heard two gunshots and a cry of pain... The voice... It was Atlas!!!_

"_No..." She was about to head back when an outburst of gunshots was heard. Atlas was OK... But how...? She didn't know..._

_Bravely fighting off her doubt, she ran towards the hideout again._

_Then there was the hideout, she entered hastily... She needs to save Atlas fast..._

"_Guys! Guys! I have to say something! Atlas is in da-" She screamed... Right before her was her comrades... slain by guns... dead... lifeless... Not a single soul was left alive..._

"_No..." Her face was filled with tears once again. "No...No..."_

_All of a sudden, she heard a noise... She peeked from a small hole... It was a bulldozer! It was going to destroy the hideout!_

_Panickingly, she left the hideout... Leaving her dead friends alone to be buried in the rubbles..._

_She rushed to where she and Atlas parted... And there was the trail of blood... The rest was now covered with snow..._

_- This is it... – She thought. – I'm all alone... – _

_She went down on her knees, exhausted, physically and emotionally... She was alone... If only Atlas didn't have to go..._

_If only... She too had died... _

_And she went on to weep, mourning for all the friends she had lost as she stayed by the blood stained patch of snow..._

- - - - - (000) - - - - -

"Whoa! Whoa! Stop!" Andy freaked out. "This is too much! You mean the military is behind all this!"

"So, that's why my brother was angry at the military... He assigned a new general, too." Becka said.

"And guys, that was a painful story... I think we better stop..." Tinnette suggested.

"No, wait... "Atlas said. "We are already OK... Right Shay...?"

The said girl nodded with a smile.

All sighed... They might be okay...but...

- - - - - (000) - - - - -

_As soon as he showed himself to the Marduks, he was shot two times at his left sides. He howled in pain and fell to ground. His blood staining the snow..._

_- Dammit! Shay might come back... -_

"_Damn... you!!!" He shot at the two Marduks that had been following them._

_Both Marduks fell down dead. And Atlas stood up to catch up with Shay... _

_Then suddenly, a gunshot hit his left arm... And he fell again. He looked up. There was another Marduk._

_He looked at his right arm... It was Shay's rifle... With all of his strength, he shot the lone Marduk at the forehead... He fell... dead instantly..._

_Atlas got rid of his rifle since it didn't have any more bullets... He walked towards a hospital..._

_Then he saw a boy... -Oh yeah, the Japanese kid...-_

"_Atlas! What happened?" He asked._

"_It... It was a trap! They tricked us..." He writhed in pain. Then, he fell in the snow. He couldn't move anymore..._

_Then he saw fading images of the Japanese kid, the girl, the detective... Then, there was Rock... and Duke Red. They didn't recognize him since he looks like one of the dead... _

_Moments later, he heard voices..._

"_Tinnette, Andy, look... Someone's down! Let's help him!"_

_He closed his eyes... This was it... – I'm sorry... Shay... everyone... –_

_At that point, he felt being carried to someplace... but he didn't care... He was too weak to know what was going on as Becka, Tinnette and Andy rushed him inside the hospital..._

_His world was dark and void. He heard sounds... But it wasn't clear to him... _

_Then a white light came to his vision... But he didn't feel calm and peaceful. In fact, he felt heavy and the pain that he felt in his left sides and his left arm was still there..._

_He opened his eyes and gasped... He was in a hospital. But who would want to even care about him...?_

"_Hi..." A voice caught his attention. It was a blonde-haired girl. She was wearing sunglasses._

"_W-who are you...? You brought me here...?" Atlas asked._

"_Yes... Me and my two other friends... My name is Tinnette..._

_Then, three days after, the director of hospital scolded the brunette nurse for bringing a criminal in the hospital. So, the three decided to place him in the Resistance Center._

_The other people didn't like him either. So, he stayed in his flat alone..._

_Still blaming himself in the chaos he has created..._

- - - - - (000) - - - - -

_Shay heard about the rumor that those who started the Revolution... were killed._

_The weather control tower has been fixed and the snow was cleared away... Shay was alone as she feared... _

_Living in the streets again... struggling to survive... _

_But she taught her heart to pull itself together. She was convinced that Atlas was still alive... _

_Because he never broke a promise... Ever..._

_Even in the fall of Ziggurat, she still searched for him... She had asked all the hospitals in the main Zone._

_She would show them of his picture but... each time... The reply was always a no... _

_Even if it was hard, she still kept on searching... Even though, the Ziggurat had fallen, she was still searching..._

_Until, she was there on the last hospital... She was about to ask again when she heard two nurses gossiping..._

"_Hey, guess what? Nurse Becka Goldhart's brother is now the new president..."_

"_What!? No way!" The other nurse remarked._

"_Well, I couldn't believe it myself... That Goldhart is a total weirdo. Why in the world did she let that Revolution leader Atlas enter our hospital... Hmph... Glad the director kicked him off..."_

"_Hmph... Yeah! But he couldn't keep Goldhart out coz she's the First Sister... Where was Atlas staying now, again?"_

"_I heard he's in Goldhart's place... the Resistance Center..."_

_Her eyes widened... With that, she dashed towards the so-called Resistance Center... Leaving two nurses with their eyebrows up..._

- - - - - (000) - - - - -

But, it took about 5 days for Shay since the Ziggurat's fall to get back to Zone-1. The zone transporters were destroyed and she had to wait until it was being repaired.

The rest, of course, was history... Shay finally made it to the Resistance Center and found Atlas, alive and well... _(Not that well, though...)_

"You are such a brave and a courageous girl, Shay... I don't think I haven't been able to endure all that hardship..." Tinnette complimented...

"Well, that's Shay... She may be crying here and there... But, she's stronger than I am... Look, she traveled across the Metropolis looking for me!" Atlas said.

"Well... Because... it was for 'you'..." Andy teased... making the couple blush for the second time...

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That night, Andy went outside to stretch up a bit. It was tough fixing robots, alright.

He was about to go back to his lab when he saw a lone figure sitting on one of the benches by the gate. It took the scientist a split second to realize that lone figure was... Kenichi...

He went near the boy... "Hey, Kenichi! Looking down... That's a surprise..."

"Oh... Hi, Andy..." The boy answered without energy at all.

"What's the matter? You miss being in Japan or something?" He sat beside him...

"Well, I miss Japan, alright. But, I miss Tima even more..." He replied.

"Relax, kid... I'm doing everything I can to fix her..." Andy reassured him. "Soon, you'll both wind up like Atlas and Shay did just awhile ago... Just don't give up... Like Shay did..."

"Yeah... I guess you're right..."

Soon, both have resorted to go back to their flats to sleep...

_**Acts of determination and endurance might be the key...**_

_**Where was the general...? Is he still on the prowl?**_

_**And what is he going to do now...?**_

_**But, if a woman with only a picture with her found him at last...**_

_**What more can a simple act of willpower do to change the city...?**_

_**Don't give up...**_

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (KAWAII HANA 08)- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - **

**AUTHOR ALREADY UPDATED!**

**KAWAII HANA:** Okay... another chapter updated. Kind of a sad tragic story, huh? Which brings me to another Original Character... Shay!

**SHAY:** Ehehehehe... Hi, everyone...

**KAWAII HANA:** Alrighty... My plan has coming to order... Ahehehe... _(Rubs hands greedily...)_

_(All characters sweat drop...)_

**KAWAII HANA:** Oh well... Puh-lease... Review! I want some reviews! I'm craving for reviews...ok... Please... Just choose the 'Submit a Review' and press the 'Go' button. .. Just say if it's good or not... Or else... And to those who reviewed: Kairi Uzeniba and Wija-chan!!! Arigato Gozaimasu!!!

Would you mind persuading some to review... you know...? _'Using force'_. Just kidding!

Anyways, thank you for reading... Don't forget to review... And, of course...

**SAYONARA!**


	5. Chapter 4: That Special Night

_**METROPOLIS II: Save the City!**_

_**-Kawaii Hana-**_

_**DISCLAIMER: **_ I do not own Metropolis or any of its characters... Just sad they didn't give a sequel to it though...

**NOTE TO READERS:**

_-- Italic --_ Thoughts of the person

_(Italic)_ Small commentary from me

_Italic_ – a flashback passage

**Bold **Emphasized words

_**Bold Italic**_ – Introduction/Ending statements of the chapter

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_**Chapter 4**_

_**That Special Night...**_

_**Despite the long separation, they'd always end up together again...**_

_**Could there be a greater meaning behind their reunion...**_

_**Will that spark something new...?**_

Becka admired Shay... from every aspect. The black-haired girl stayed loyal with Atlas despite his sudden change of personality... She endured the hardships of being alone... And even though, she cried most of the time, deep within lays a brave soul...

Becka never would have thought that such person had outstood those trials. The first time the nurse saw her was that she was crying... trembling...shivering... And was probably about to faint from the extreme fatigue...

But now, Shay was smiling... She was relaxed... She looked peaceful; satisfied to know her best friend was finally by her side...

"Uh...Hello? Becka? Are you still there...?" A voice from the telephone caught the nurse's attention once again...

"Huh? Oh! Oh yes! I'm fine, Rock... What were you saying again...?" She asked, continuing their conversation...

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Andy got out of their building again to stretch up. "Ohhh... This is my life... You repair this and that... these and those... and voila! You find another one to repair..."

He sat by the bench. Slowly, he took off his spectacles to wipe its lenses. He carefully placed it on his nose and something caught his eye...

_- Man... They're inseparable... They have been talking the whole day... –_ The young scientist noted with a witty smile. And it was obvious who he was talking about...

It was Atlas and Shay, of course, holding hands as if they never ever wanted to be apart from each other... _(Well, they were separated once...)_

And here they call themselves 'best friends'... And here they **blush when something else** was mentioned... And here when nobody else is watching... They get together... hand in hand...

**Andy would love to see their blushing faces again**... But, he has still a lot of work to do... So, for once, he just let the unsuspecting couple alone as they were...

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"You know..." Atlas began again. "If the other guys were still here... They can all fit in this huge compound complex. It has bathrooms, kitchens, and water supply for everybody... That is, if Tinnette and the rest agree to that..."

Shay nodded. "So what are we going to do after you recovered?"

"Umm... Let's find a job... Or maybe ask Tinnette for that part. That way we can start anew!" Atlas replied. Shay has never seen him this optimistic...

"What?"

"Oh, nothing... It's just that... You changed a bit... You looked too happy..." The young lady couldn't find a word to describe his change.

They have been **sticky-like-glue** since that reunion. Most people stare at them, but this time, not death glares... They were all smiling... And for once, the people weren't scared of Atlas anymore.

Shay loved the Resistance Center. Everyone was so nice, warm and caring – especially Tinnette and the rest. She has never met people this kind as she lived around people rejected by high-status society.

"Hey, Shay." Atlas said. "Did you remember the time when we stole a sack of cement from a construction site?"

The young lady smiled. "Uh-huh... We were like... about 15 years old. We just love to play around..."

Atlas and Shay laughed at their good memories both happy and sad.

"Do you remember what we did to that sack of cement?" Atlas inquired again.

"Duh... We stole some cement so that we could fill a hole in the secret hiding place... But you couldn't wait to dry up!" Shay recalled laughing.

"Yup... I took a stick and wrote..."

"Shay and Atlas... Together Forever..." Both said it out loud and smiled at each other. Apparently, what they just said had come true despite everything that had transpired.

"I never thought... that engraving meant... so much promise..." The young woman managed to utter. "I mean ... we have always been together..."

Atlas agreed. "Yeah, me too... And now... that engraving is nothing but a stack of ruins." He retorted sadly, reminding him of their destroyed homes... the slums.

"It's just sad... that nobody we know is here... is with us..." Her eyes looked towards the night sky. "But, I know that they're around there somewhere... watching over us... Happy that we're together again..."

"Yeah..." Atlas agreed.

And then without warning, Atlas suddenly held both Shay's hands.

"Atlas...? What's wrong...?"

"Something I always wanted to tell you, Shay..."

His eyes were as sincere as sudden change of tone in his voice. The wind suddenly picked up and blew on the couple... gently... And Shay was puzzled.

"Something? What's that?"

He let go of her hands first. She saw him digging for something in his pockets. After a few moments, he finally stopped and released his hand from the pocket.

Shay couldn't figure out what was what Atlas had in his hand. His big hand covered it perfectly. Her heart was throbbing in suspense.

"What is it, Atlas?" She asked, almost in a whisper.

"This..."

She saw a jewelry case. And it looked really... expensive.

"Atlas did you-"

"Nope... It's 100 not stolen. Bought it around... well... a year ago, I think..." Atlas replied.

"But..." Shay began. "How did you get the money?"

"Remember the day when I found a wallet with a load of money and I decided to return it?"

"Yeah... Everyone was protesting against that. Saying it was sent from heaven or something like that."

"Well..." Atlas said. "I did return it."

"Yeah... I remember..."

"But, I didn't tell anyone that he was actually giving a reward or something. In fact, I didn't know there was a reward...!"

"What... really!? So you bought that with the money?" Shay asked in a surprised voice.

Atlas opened the case. Shay stepped a little closer in order to see what was inside it.

It revealed a necklace... a golden one.

Carefully and eagerly at the same time, the young man took the jewelry and hung it from his left hand for Shay to see clearly.

"Atlas... It's... it's beautiful." His best friend said in awe for she had never seen anything so delicate and precious.

Indeed, it was an explicit charm. It was made out of pure gold. Though it looked like some kind of a half piece of a heart, there carved into the golden material was the letter S.

Shay saw this and was once again puzzled. "Atlas... Where's the other half?"

Answering her question, Atlas's free hand took out the said necklace from his shirt. It was found dangling on his neck all along.

He gently clasped the necklace onto her and held her shoulders in order to face her.

"Shay... That heart necklace is... kinda like mine... A part of it is for you... forever... Because..."

He breathed in for some air. **"It's because I love you... I always have... And, I always will..."**

In moments, tears fell from Shay's face.

"Shay... I'm sorry..." He began wiping her tears. "I didn't mean to upset you... I just wanted to tell you something that I have kept for so long. And seeing that I almost lost you without telling, I thought this was it... And I-"

"Ssssh..." Shay placed a finger on his frantic lips. "I thought this day wouldn't come either. I didn't care if I get anything in return. All I wanted was too see you alive through out this whole ordeal... But, I guess that doesn't matter anymore. **Atlas... I love you, too... I always have... I always will..."**

Not sure if it was reflex or something related to it. But when Atlas wiped out the last tear; his face got a little closer to hers. And in a flash, they shared **their very first kiss**...

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Hand in hand, Atlas led Shay to their building. It was getting late. Despite having the most wonderful night together now by being more than just best friends, they knew that it's time to settle down and get some rest.

"Atlas..." Shay suddenly spoke. "Do you think we should let the other's know about us...?"

Atlas thought for a moment. "I doubt they'll be surprised, you know."

Shay shrugged in agreement.

Then as Atlas opened the front door of the building, they were suddenly warmly greeted by a...

"CONGRATULATIONS!!!"

Both Atlas and Shay were taken aback. Now, they were **the ones who were surprised**. Even though it was clearly after midnight, the people from the building greeted the two – while still in their nightclothes.

There were best friends Tinnette and Becka, the kid from Japan Kenichi and that crazy scientist Andy all seated in the stairs. They were waiting for them all along.

"See... Told you so..." Atlas whispered to Shay who in turn merely sweatdropped at the presence of all her roommates despite their sleepy and tired looks.

"Umm... How'd you guys know?" That was all Atlas could ask.

"I think that was my fault." It was none other than the scientist who spotted them first. Sure, he did say he'll just let them be the last time. But as he saw where this was heading to, he hurriedly woke up the three other tenants of the building and they all witnessed the confession as clear as crystal.

"One of these days, I'm going to kill you Andy..." Atlas threatened as a familiar tinge of red appeared on his face to which Andy scratched his head regrettably.

"Uhhh... gee, Atlas. That was a good line..." Becka complimented.

"What line?"

The four people looked at each other. All together, they recited:

"I love you... I always have... I always will..."

And they broke into laughter. Not that they were making fun of it, Atlas and Shay could tell they were happy about the confession.

"Well." Tinnette finally stood up. "Congrats again! If there is anything you both need, don't hesitate to ask."

The couple nodded while their eyebrows had to be raised a little for the leader of Center was** still wearing her sunglasses** despite the late hour.

It was then decided that they should cut the celebration for the next day as Kenichi yawned complaining why they had to confess during midnight. Atlas replied he planned it on midnight because he wanted only him and Shay alone. But the young man was beginning to think it was not just the people in their building that saw the whole thing.

Maybe everyone in the compound is going to congratulate them first thing in the morning.

_- Just great...-_ Atlas thought

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Finally, at long last, Atlas and Shay were inside their bedroom... asleep. They were **finally together**... in a new light.

Shay finally gets to rest after the tiring search with her beloved arms around her as they slumber.

Atlas finally gets to be with her again and this time he's making sure he's going to protect her.

The next morning... Atlas was right.

Everybody was wishing them well...

Well, why would the two refuse...?

_**It was a special night... **_

_**A night to remember... **_

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (KAWAII HANA 08)- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -**

**AUTHOR'S BACK IN LIKE... 4 MONTHS!!! **

**KAWAII HANA:** Hello... _(Gets thrown by tomatoes)_ Yeah, I deserve that. I'm sorry, guys. It's just that I have been concentrating on my other fics, I have totally forgotten about this...

**ROCK:** No more lame excuses, Author... You don't care a thing about us...

**KAWAII HANA:** Hey, I do!

**ROCK:** No, you don't!

**KAWAII HANA:** Yes, I do!

**ROCK:** No, you don't!

**KAWAII HANA:** Yes, I do!

**ROCK:** No, you don't!

**ATLAS:** Ahem... _(Both turn to Atlas)_ Excuse me... We're supposed to be in spotlight, you know. (Seen holding hands with Shay)

**SHAY:** It seems you have pan pertaining about us, Ms. Author.

**KAWAII HANA:** Oh yeah... _(Sees Rock grumbling and sighs)_ Oh for the love of, stop grumbling, Rock. Don't worry... You'll get your chance with Becka, soon enough...

**ROCK:** _(Starts to blush)_ what the hell are you talking about!?

**KAWAII HANA:** Aww...c'mon... Don't play with me. I'm the author, you know...

**ROCK:** W-Whatever... _(Walks out)_

**KAWAII HANA:** Aww... How cute. Anyway, back to the fics. For one thing of all my three fics, this one has the least number of reviews. That's why... I'm kind of discouraged to continue this...

**ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE FIC:** Noooooooooo... Please don't delete us...

**KAWAII HANA:** What the... Hey! I didn't say I'm really going to do it. Hello... Keyword: kind of... kind of...

**ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE FIC:** That's two words...

**KAWAII HANA:** _(Starts counting with fingers dumbfounded)_ Arrrgghh... Cut it out... I'm not going to delete this fic... I just need a little more reviews... from new people, that is... I sure hope Wija-chan and Kairi Uzeniba are still around though...

Please don't forget review... PLEAAAASSSSE!!! Thank you for reading...

**SAYONARA!**


	6. Chapter 5: Life after the Tragedy

_**METROPOLIS II: Save the City!**_

_**-Kawaii Hana-**_

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_**DISCLAIMER: **_I do not own Metropolis or any of its characters... Just sad they didn't give a sequel to it though...

**NOTE TO READERS:**

_-- Italic --_ Thoughts of the person

_(Italic)_ Small commentary from me

_Italic_ – a flashback passage

**Bold **Emphasized words

_**Bold Italic**_ – Introduction/Ending statements of the chapter

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_**Chapter 5**_

_**Life after the Tragedy…**_

_**

* * *

**_

_**Life still goes on…**_

_**Even when towers fall or when strongholds crumble…**_

_**You have to move on…**_

_**You have to live...**_

_**The life after the tragedy…**_

* * *

_Krrriiinnngg! Krrriiinnngg!_

Becka slowly opened her eyes and her hand turning off the alarm clock.

The brunette sat up from bed carefully so as not to disturb her sleeping companion.

She looked down at her and smiled. Placed on her was the heaviest responsibility of all of the Resistance Center, the leader and her very best friend in the whole wide world, Tinnette.

She then turned to the clock and saw the time. It was 5:30 in the morning. She should get ready for work or else…

As she stood up, she suddenly realized she never had this feeling before. After all, with all her co-nurses whispering behind her back, she had never been too excited to be at the hospital. The only reason why she has to work there was because she was the only one out of the three to have such a decent job.

Tinnette was a model at an eyewear and accessories company. Its magazine featured the blonde always in shades. It never showed Tinnette's hidden face – as she had requested. Even so, the money she gets at photo sessions and gigs were not enough – **especially at this time…**

Andy has an ultra-smart brain from the very beginning… But money was also his biggest problem. It was **luck that got him** to meet Dr. Laughton and offer him a college scholarship while serving as the late scientist's apprentice. After graduating, it was hard getting a decent job. For one thing, repairing a robot earns you a small fare. Even with a big brain such as Andy's, it was still hard to get a job – especially these days where the people who asked their robot to be fixed don't even have enough money to feed themselves. That was why the young mechanic expert sorted to fixing robots that could help in the maintenance of the Center… while doing some fixing robot jobs.

So of all three, Becka gets the highest amount of money as a nurse. Even when her older brother was now the President of Metropolis, she knew she had to strive on her own **– despite the circumstances…**

But anyway, going back to the point, Becka Goldhart never recalled feeling **'excited'** when going to work. I mean, really… Who wants to go to a place which only accepts you just because you were the President's sister?

Was it because of Rock…?

Whoa… Must not go there… She must first focus on getting enough money for herself and… the rest of the Resistance Center

Okay so… going back to where she sat up from bed…

After a bath, she takes breakfast outside the Center which is one of the food stalls parked outside. Usually a sandwich and a juice pack would do and she was off to the Main Zone… to the surface where most hospitals are…

From there she goes to the locker room, change into her nurses' uniform and sign up for the day. Secretly still in denial, she hurried to the room of her first patient of the day…

It was Room 012… The room where a certain somebody is recuperating from a certain tragedy…

And his name is Rock…

It has been merely a week since he was first brought to the hospital. He has quickly recovered. Of course, he was the leader of the Marduks, isn't it? Or was it because of such a nice nurse…?

"R-Rock!" Becka exclaimed as she entered the room. "You can already sit up from bed? Most patients with the same injuries don't get up till being set up with a physical therapist. That usually takes about weeks… or even months!"

Rock only smiled… "Of course, I'm a Marduk… well, not anymore but… I'm already used to this type of injuries…"

"Ugh… Here we go again… Showing off whenever Nurse Becka's around all the while creeping out the nurses during the weekend…" A voice was heard to which Rock reacted rather playfully…

Oh yeah… There was also another patient with Rock in the room…

"Oh, father… You're no fun…" Rock whined as he and Becka turned to their attention to the person lying on the other bed. It was, of course, Duke Red. He was no longer bandaged as heavily as before albeit he still has a small one his left eye.

"Good morning, Duke Red! Good morning, Rock!" Becka greeted them formally. "I sure hope things went well when I was gone…"

"Miss Becka… I don't believe you left at all… All Rock did was talk to you on the phone all day long for the past two days…" The ailing duke started again. Both brunettes sweat dropped.

"Oh, come on, father. You noticed it, too. The nurses here are all boring… Becka's the only one we can talk to…" Rock continued to make his point.

The old man sighed. "Well, I have to agree with you there…"

"OK…Ok… I get it… You guys miss me. As much as I am flattered to learn so, I guess there's no point in arguing since I agree to your terms…" The nurse paused for a moment to take a deep breath. "In the meantime, I should probably be serious now… OK Rock, you know the drill: Say aaah!"

She carefully placed a thermometer on his mouth.

"Aaah!" Her patient obeyed and so did the other.

Becka couldn't help but smile at what she was seeing. The father and the son… Even though they were strapped down to a hospital bed for more than a week already, Becka can tell that they were the happiest and certainly the liveliest patients she had looked after since the Ziggurat fall.

She couldn't figure out what happened during that day. And she was glad it turned out good in the end…

It was actually around the third day since Rock and his father became her patients. Everything started out in the usual. And she was there, eagerly entering Room 012 as always.

The brunette nurse had already finished Rock's daily routine check-up when suddenly… He woke up. The Duke… The first person he saw was… of course… Rock.

And then as if on cue, Rock spoke of words that Becka was so shocked off… **Something that a heartless Marduk wouldn't speak off**…

With like a whole pail full of tears on his face, he said something like always being by his father's side even though he was not really his father. In fact, Rock said, he was grateful that the Duke had taken him in… For without him, Rock would not be of who he is right now… He even added that even if the Duke will never accept him… Rock proclaimed that he would still love him and be fiercely loyal to him as would a real son to his father…

There was long moment of silence… but it was filled with peace and no discomfort ever entered the room that day.

Rock was about to turn away, expecting another rejection when the Duke, in hoarse voice, spoke…

Becka couldn't exactly remember what he said. But all she could muster up was that the Duke was actually begging for forgiveness… for not being a good father, for always ordering him around as if he was just another one of his men and shamefully admit to him the truth in anger when he knew from the very start it would hurt him…

He said that it has been about 10 years and yet he hadn't still coped up with the reality that his daughter, Tima, was gone… And that Rock was merely a way to fill the hole in his heart. His grief grew to insanity… by building a humanoid creation in the image of his late daughter…

Another pause… Tears also formed in Becka's face… She had never expected the famous Duke Red or the feared Rock to have such… heart in all this… **If only the world could see this, would they also weep..?**

Then, the ailing politician continued, saying that when he saw Rock… trying one last selfless attempt to save him from a raid of malfunctioning robots during that night of the Ziggurat fall by merely giving up his life… He was deeply and utterly touched… Knowing too late that he had someone who cared for him from the very start… It was in this moment where his life could have ended that he began to see things clearly… and regretted he wasn't able to patch things up…

But miraculously, he survived… And he was eternally grateful that Rock also lived…

That was the beginning of a renewed relationship between the father and son…

"Hey Beck… Are you OK? You're spacing out.." His voice brought her back to present. She shook her head and smiled.

"Oh nothing… Just remembered about you know… when Duke Red woke up and… all that…"

"Yeaahhh… well…mmmhmmm?" Rock interrupted, indicating that a full minute has passed. Clearly, he didn't want to go there because it was too depressing… _(But the fact that Rock was crying… I don't own Rock, OK?)_

Becka took Rock's thermometer out and carefully read the measurement. "As usual, 37 degrees… I'm guessing you should be out in this in about… three days…"

"That's good to hear…" Rock said. "I'm itching to get out of here…"

Becka rolled her eyes as she recorded the measurement on her health report that she always brought in with her… She then turned to the Duke.

"OK, sir… Let's see… 36.5 degrees… which technically is 37 degrees… So I guess: 'Like father, like son…', right…?"

"You bet!" Rock responded.

"Well, I guess… that's pretty much everything. I'll see you both at lunch as usual…" Becka said as she turned to the door.

"Oh just a minute, young lady… I have something to ask." The Duke suddenly said.

The nursed then turned back. "What is it, sir…?"

"Well, I have been wondering… Rock and I have been here for a week… Although, I know that some of my business associates might suffered the same casualties as we both have but..."

"Oh yeah…" Becka suddenly remembered. "Because you see… My brother ordered an immediate cleanup of the city-state… So everyone… especially the ones residing on the surface level are ordered to temporarily leave their jobs to help with the clean up or aid with the injured except if their job is related like I am… or if they are injured from the tragedy… That's why none of the reporters come to you for an interview or other people you know come to you for a visit or something like that…"

"I see… that's good to hear then…" The duke said. "I must say your brother is a very smart young man…"

The nurse smiled. "Thank you… Oh! I just remembered… I promised to come to him at lunch today…"

"That's alright, Beck… Your brother deserves to take a little break once in while. I mean he became the President at this time when Metropolis is down…"

"Thanks…" She smiled. Her aqua blue eyes twinkled like stars… "I owe you one, Rock…"

With that, she left… leaving him mesmerized while his father had to smile in a teasing manner… Thinking to himself about his son and about something called **the coming of the age…**

**About time, though…**

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As she had promised them a day before, Tinnette took Kenichi, Shay and Atlas to some sort of a shopping center at Zone-1. During the Ziggurat Fall, the first underground zone was not that affected as the slums were the ones that took the most casualties. That was why life goes on around the area. The injured ones from the surface level that couldn't afford a hotel or are homeless are placed in relief centers like the Resistance. And since there is only one zone transporter working, the only ones with jobs that are related to the National Clean Up or mainly aiding the injured can only go to surface so as to avoid traffic from both levels.

"The shopping center's not far away… Look, it's right over there, see…"

Her three companions looked over to see the place. And well, it looked like it hadn't been affected by the Ziggurat Fall at all.

"Pretty miraculous, isn't it? This place is merely around 5 kilometers from where Ziggurat was… And it hadn't received any casualties…" Tinnette commented. "But I'm glad the owner's kind of thoughtful… She lowered down all the prices here…"

The blonde sighed happily as she looked at her companions. She caught Kenichi looking back from where they started walking… the Resistance Center. Apparently, they left Andy alone in the Center doing all repairing jobs. But in Kenichi's point of view, it felt like leaving Tima behind…

But Tinnette perfectly understood the boy… especially when the mechanical expert said that the humanoid was already done… All they have to do was to wait for it to recharge and wake up…

"Kenichi…" She called out. The boy responded by turning towards her.

The blonde woman placed her hands on her hips and sighed. "Andy said she should wake up by nightfall. So… we better hurry up…"

"OK…" The boy said reluctantly. "But, what exactly are we doing here…?"

"Yeah…" Atlas barged in. "I don't think the people may not like it when they see us…"

The blonde pushed her sunglasses further up to her nose. "Well, since Tima's waking up soon. I think we better get her some clothes."

She then looked at the trio and gave a quirky smirk. "And you guys need new clothes too, you know…"

Shay frowned at that thought. Who would let her and Atlas in there?

"But… Tinnette… I don't think…" She began.

"Hush…" She took Shay's arm and cleared her throat. "Look at you guys… No offence but I don't think you guys look like were ever part of a gang or a rebellion… More like stranded or something…"

"No offence taken, Tinnette… But just so you know… we really are stranded…" Atlas said with a raised eyebrow. "But, hey, I kind of like idea of buying new clothes… This one I'm wearing has been on me since... I first came to the Center!"

Shay snorted a laugh… "Ew, gross… And I was hugging you all the time…"

Both Tinnette and Kenichi had to agree by sharing laughter with Shay.

Atlas turned to her in a very offended but an **over-exaggerated look**. "Puh-lease… I remember seeing you in those clothes since the start of the revolution…"

Shay pulled off a shocked face and even added a gasp. "Why you… at least I change underwear…!" That statement caused even harder laughter for Tinnette and Kenichi …

Atlas also gave a shocked face. "When did you actually have access to these extra…err… garments?"

"I'm a girl, Atlas… Of course, I have to access to those…" Shay said. This time, Tinnette and Kenichi roared in laughter.

"Kind of like me…" The Japanese boy managed to say. "Look…"

Atlas took one look at him and smiled. **That green checkered jacket… That red shirt and khaki shorts…**

"This is the one I wore since I first came here to Metropolis. One thing led to another… That's why I haven't changed since…"

"Well… welcome to the group, buddy. You're part of the No Change-No Care Trio…"

All the four of them laughed. That's a pretty cool name for someone who hadn't changed clothes in a long time…

"OK, you three… Can we go now?" Tinnette asked. With one last look at their… erm… overused clothes, they sighed and excitedly joined Tinnette to the shopping center.

Tinnette smiled. These three shouldn't be laughing at those clothes. Why… Because they were wearing those clothes during those times… those dark and painful times…

Does this mean that they have moved on? Do new clothes mean something more…?

That thought made the blonde smile even more. That was why she took a lot of money with her…

**Just in case…**

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"So does Tima like the color red? Coz I'm sure she will love this one." Tinnette said, as she showed Kenichi a red jumper.

An hour passed since the group of four began to shop for new clothes… and yet here they are still shopping till their hearts' content.

While the two lovers were having the time of their lives, Tinnette had brought Kenichi to the girl clothes section to see if Tima would like the clothes they were going to buy for her. Although, Kenichi was a little awkward because he was in a girl's place.

"Uhh… I'm sure she'll love anything that fits her… The ones she last wore were Atlas's. We had to use the biggest belt to make her fit in his pants…" Kenichi laughs chuckles as he recalls.

Tinnette nodded and smiled. "Tell me… more about Tima. I mean… the only thing I know about her is that she's a humanoid created in the image of… Duke Red's deceased daughter…"

She saw the boy's face lit up as his smile beamed up.

"Well, she's a very sweet girl… When she laughs, you might forget all your worries. She's a very curious girl, too. She would ask a lot… a whole lot of things. Everything she sees is just new to her. And I had to wrack my brains just so that I can simply explain to her why this and why's that… Too bad… She had to see the world in… its worst…"

His face turned to dim down into a sorrowful pose… Tinnette could see the pain in his eyes… She could feel it as he looked like he was about to cry.

Instinctively, she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't waste your tears. Tima's going to see the world born anew. When she wakes up, you'll be the first person she'll ever see… She'll meet Atlas again… And she'll have new friends… Becka, Shay, Andy and me… She can play with kids at the Center… Everything is in the past… Tima's about to face the light… You'll have to face it, too…"

There was silence. She patiently waited for him to speak.

"Pink…" He suddenly uttered out of the blue.

"Huh…?"

His face lit up with the smile plastered back. "I think she also likes pink. When we were running away from a… a Marduk, one food stall owner gave us free ice cream. She chose a pink one even though she didn't know that it was a strawberry flavor. I guess she likes pink and red most…"

Tinnette smiled. "OK… let's see if there's a cute pink outfit in there…"

_--This boy recovers fast--_ She thought…

"Uhmmm… Tinnette?"

"What?"

"You're a girl… And you're a model… I'm sure you can get some great clothes for her…" Kenichi didn't know where to begin.

"Why…?"

"Uhmm…" Kenichi looked around and whispered. "Everyone's looking at me right now."

With that said, she looked around and sure enough… There were girls stifling their giggles as their stares penetrate our poor Kenichi…

Tinnette laughed softly. "OK… You can check what those two lovers are up to…"

She didn't need to say that for the boy already left…

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_-- Room 010… Room 011… Room 012… --_

She opened the door gently and breathed in a sigh of relief. But all she saw were a couple of frowning faces.

"What's with the frowns?"

"Hey, Becka… You're not going to your brother…?" It was Rock who noticed her but his enthusiasm from earlier had suddenly vanished.

"Oh, he called. Emergency meeting so I guess I'll be here for lunch after all… What's wrong?"

It was not like them to be so down… They were like the happiest patients Becka ever had… How come it all came to a halt… when they were having fun just this morning?

Then something hit her…

"Did the doctor come to tell you the news…?"

"Yes…" Duke Red replied. "He said I won't be able to… walk any longer…"

Becka gasped.

"He'll have to spend the rest of his life **on a wheelchair**. Even immense physical therapy can't bring him up…" Rock said in a way that's unexplainable…

The aura was heavy… It was something foreign to Becka for she had always perceived the joy and comfort she sees in these two men.

But she perfectly understands… Being not able to walk again is something hard to handle…

She sighed. "Well, it's better than anything… right?"

Both father and son looked at her… patiently waiting what she was going to say…

"I mean… Which do you prefer…? To die without saying what you wanted to say to each other like the other day… or right now where… you guys are together… at last…"

For the first time, both men were speechless…

"You guys miraculously made it from a collapsing tower. I for one could never figure out how you both wound up at this hospital just an hour or so after the unexpected collapse… If you guys could make it through the highest tower of the world, I'm sure you both can get through this… together, right?"

She looked up, only to see them with their smiles again…

"We couldn't have got through all this without you, Becka… So I guess maybe you should give yourself a little credit…" Duke Red said.

"Yeah… If it weren't for you, I would have been bored to death around here…" Rock agreed. "But seriously, Becka… Thank you for everything…"

He smiled and Becka turned around to hide her already rosy red blush.

"D-Don't worry about it… It's my job and… yeah… you're a great friend…" She managed to utter.

A sigh came from Rock. The Duke had to smile at his son. He would never have thought it will all come to this. To see him so happy… Well, he had Becka to receive all the credit for…

If only, Rock could return the favor… in some special way…

_(OK… I'm pretty sure you guys know what I mean… But come to think of it… I can never imagine the Duke Red thinking of stuff like that…)_

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"Geez… Buying all those stuff… And then making us boys to carry it… This is harassment!" Atlas complained for the umpteenth time.

"Oh, shut up… You're lucky there's Kenichi here to help. We girls are tired from that entire shopping routine, y' know…" Tinnette playfully said.

"Geez… How did Andy was able to live with you and Becka?" Atlas pointed back.

"Pretty simple… He does what we want him to do."

"Geez…"

Laughter spread to our group of four once again. They had spent the entire afternoon purchasing new clothes to replace the old worn-out ones. But not long after that tiring activity, they also opted to eat at one of the food stalls parked outside.

It was when the time for them to go home did Tinnette and Shay forcefully left all their shopping bags to the boys while they were still holding their own. Atlas kept complaining playfully but that was only to ease out the struggle of carrying four heavy plastic bags.

"At least… take the lightest one, you know…" Atlas complained yet again.

"Come on, Atlas… Give up… You'll waste more of your energy as it is." Kenichi said. "And can we walk a little faster? Tima might have be awake right this minute…"

Sure enough, it was the youngest of them all that was leading the whole troop. Tinnette sweat dropped. "I guess he took to heart the part where he was going to be the first person Tima's going to see…"

"You couldn't blame him… But I guess it's good to just let him be…" A voice from behind made the group to pause from their walk home.

There they saw a lone figure walking towards them with the biggest and most beaming smile they have ever seen…

"Hi Becka… You're too early. What's up?" Tinnette asked.

"Well, I heard… Tima's going to wake up soon so I kind of thought of an excuse to the head nurse. I just want to see how she wakes up, that's all…" Her smile grew wider with excitement.

_-- Actually, this is my normal time for the end of my shift but… I usually go home late nowadays because of Rock… I better not tell them or else…--_ Behind her smiles was a guilty and sweaty look.

"Well, if you're that excited… race you the Center, Becka!" With that said, Kenichi zoomed without even a second thought.

"Oh yeah… I'm on!!!" Becka followed suit to which Tinnette raised an eyebrow.

_-- She has been working straight for the whole day and still has the energy to run around!? Hmm… I wonder what's goin' on in that hospital…? --_

And so… the **amazing race** went on as Atlas still complains…

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Andy stretched out himself again after finishing yet another robot. The, he suddenly heard some sort of a zooming noise. He rubbed his head.

_-- Geez… Now I'm hearing things, eh? --_

As he was about to go back to his building, the noise was actually becoming louder. He listened for more and figured the sound was coming from the gate.

He went closer to the gate cautiously. The noise was definitely coming from there. Curiosity got the best of him as he went closer to open the gate.

But as he was going to, the noise was already in its loudest that the young scientist panicked and suddenly moved as far away from the gate as possible…just in time for Kenichi and Becka to push the gate wide open causing the gate to emit a screeching sound.

_--Talk about grand entrance--_ Andy thought as he looked at the group… While Becka and Kenichi were trying to catch their breath, Atlas looked exhausted as he dropped the bags he was holding as soon as he arrived past the gate. Meanwhile, Tinnette and Shay looked normal as if they didn't care one bit about Atlas.

"Okaayyy… What just happened?" Andy asked. Clearly, he has just missed out of what could possibly the most fun time of his friends' lives.

"Oh, nothing much… Just carrying a load of clothing after you just ate. Becka and Kenichi racing around like children… And Tinnette and Shay chatting about girl stuff…" Atlas managed to say between breaths.

Andy didn't what to say. "Oh, I se—"

"Andy! Andy! Well what!? Is Tima awake? Why did you leave her all alone!? You should keep watch!" Kenichi didn't bother to let our poor mechanic expert to finish his sentence…

"Why you ungrateful… I have endured sleepless nights just to get your precious friend fixed in just days…. Why you…" Andy's voice suddenly changed. His aura was like that of fire… And it was creepy…

A sweat drop came from each person.

Beep… Beep… Beeep…

"What the… She's fully recharged already?"

When they came to… Kenichi had already gone to the basement…

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The last and only thing she had ever remembered… was a boy's face. She recalled this boy calling out her name… **No, screaming her name… **

That was the only thing… After that was total blank…

This time, she was beginning to be aware of her surroundings again. She tried to but she can't just to open her eyes… She felt like she was floating. She can feel something piercing certain points to her body especially at the back of head…

She urged her eyes to open. But it was too painful… Wait… Pain… What's that?

She opened her eyes, anyway. But all she can see was so unclear… She can see that she was somewhere full of water. And those piercing certain points were needles connected with tubes…

Then, something came in front of her… What seemed to be between her and this hazy figure was a thick wall of glass… To her all she can see was like a mixture of green, white and flesh…

Wait… Those colors match those of that face… _**That face…**_

She suddenly heard an unfamiliar voice. "Her vision's clearing up…"

Sure enough, it was clearing… She can feel… hair protruding out of her head… And then she saw him… There before her was a boy with green hair. He was so familiar yet she couldn't place a name… He had the biggest smile on his face. But it looked to her as if he was about cry… **in sheer happiness.**

Behind him were a bunch of new faces **- all bearing a smile…** What's this? Were they waiting for her to wake up…? What's going on?

Her attention returned to the familiar boy as he reached out his hand to the glass surface. His quivering mouth forming a word…

"T-Tima…"

**Tima…? Was that her name? Why does he know? Could he be that boy…?**

Then, in a flash, the haunting memory of a chaotic environment flooded her mind. This boy was crying out her name as she felt she was falling down from some kind of a tower…

She too, called out his name… It was…

"K-Kenichi…"

He smiled even wider as well as the other people behind him…

Now she remembered… Her name was Tima… Now enclosed on a glass full of water… She was more aware of herself now than the last time…

She remembered… She wasn't like him. She was different… She was like those **'poor robots'**…

And yet, she could see the other people happily welcoming her now… And a certain someone with spectacles was just as delirious as Kenichi…

"It's a miracle… How come she remembered your name, Kenichi…?" Was all that he can say…

A new face came in front of her. She had the silkiest long blonde hair she had ever seen. But what caught her attention was that she couldn't see what she looks like behind those sunglasses…

"Hello Tima!" She heard her say. "My name is Tinnette. Welcome back!"

**Huh…? Who is she...? Welcome back?**

"Hi there, Tima… My name's Becka." She had the prettiest eyes… aqua blue. Her flowing brown hair matched those of Tinnette. "We promise… you're gonna have loads of fun in here…"

**But where exactly is she…?** Nevertheless, another new face came in front along with someone she knew…

"Hey there, kid… Remember me, it's Atlas." He said. Oh yeah… She and Kenichi stayed at their place before.

"This is my girlfriend for all time… Shay…" Her eyes turned to a raven-haired girl who in turn waved with a smile…

"Hi there…" The last one pitched in. He had black hair with the biggest spectacles on top of his face. "Hi Tima… I'm the one who fixed you… Glad you're OK…"

She was too startled by the sudden appearances of new faces. She turned to Kenichi in questioning look.

"Who are they, Kenichi?"

"They are our new friends, Tima. They are really great people. You're going to have a better life… You're not going to run around anymore…"

**Not going to run around…?**

She smiled and turned to them. "Nice to meet you all…!

_**A great day for all…**_

_**To start life all over again… is the greatest gift one couldn't measure…**_

_**But just to see the girl who was innocent in many ways…**_

_**Suffered alongside many people…**_

_**Waking up to a place where a precious friend happens to be close by…**_

_**And a new bunch who welcomes you…**_

_**In a life after the tragedy…**_

"So… how is he doing?"' A voice rose from the darkness… Yet it feels familiar…

"Fully recovered. But I'm afraid his legs have become weak and all that… that he needs to-" Another voice replied but couldn't bear to finish the sentence.

"He's going to be on a wheelchair, I see…" The first voice spoke again.

A moment of silence.

"How long are you going to hide…?" The second voice asked.

"As long as I see everyone happy… I don't think there's any need to show up at all…"

A gloomy finish… as darkness overcame these voices…

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**AUTHOR'S HERE AGAIN…**

**KAWAII HANA:** OK… I guess the only one's reviewing me is Kairi Uzeniba and Wija-chama. So… I'm only goin' to talk to them… Hmph!

**ROCK:** You're a rude girl, you know… And violent, too… _(Rubs forehead… Remembers the gold bar incident)_

**KAWAII HANA:** Whatevah… Anyway, so Kairi Uzeniba and Wija-chama… How do you like this chapter? Pretty tragic, isn't? Well, Tima's here again…

**DUKE RED:** Hey… Rock… How come she's also ignoring us?

**ROCK:** Don't have the slightest idea…

**DUKE RED:** She said she's only going to talk to those loyal reviewers… We're just the characters. We're not obliged to review, right?

**ROCK:** Yeah…

**KAWAII HANA:** Oh well, and oh yeah… Duke Red's in the chapter, too…

**DUKE RED:** Why, I am grateful for that, Kawai Hana…

**KAWAII HANA:** _(Totally ignores everyone)_ You know what… Kairi Uzeniba and Wija-chama… I'm happy that you guys are reviewing this story. I'm doing my best to improve, y'know… Oh yeah… Sorry if this chapter took a looooong while… My laptop's been formatted to the Windows Vista… And guess what my dad didn't back up the folder where all my fanfics were kept… Because for one thing he doesn't even know what a fanfic is… Isn't that funny or what? And at that time I have just finished this chapter… Aaaaahhh!!! That's why I had to rewrite another one again when suddenly I found the old one around two day later… Whew… I honestly think this one is much better… So here we are… Thank you for waiting…!

_(Duke Red and Rock sweat drops… The Author looks like she's to talking her self…)_

**ROCK:** I think… there's no point in talking to her… let's go…

**DUKE RED:** I agree…

_(Both leaves… Kawaii Hana giggles…)_

**KAWAII HANA:** Ehihihihi… They just don't know what I am going to do with them in the next chapter… Anyways, Kairi Uzeniba and Wija-chama, don't forget to review…

**See you in the next chapter!!!**

_Note: If it's your first time reading this fic, please review… If not but still haven't did something very, very, very important… I think it's pretty obvious what I'm going to say, isn't it?_

**SAYONARA!!!**


	7. Chapter 6: In a Twist of Fate

_**METROPOLIS II: Save the City!**_

_**-Kawaii Hana-**_

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_**DISCLAIMER: **_I do not own Metropolis or any of its characters... Just sad they didn't give a sequel to it though...

**NOTE TO READERS:**

_-- Italic --_ Thoughts of the person

_(Italic)_ Small commentary from me

_Italic_ – a flashback passage

**Bold **Emphasized words

_**Bold Italic**_ – Introduction/Ending statements of the chapter

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_**She has awaken to a place where she meets**_

_**Friends old and new**_

_**She looks upon a part of the city **_

_**Where hope seems to spark…**_

_**And there are those who **_

_**Wants to be a part of that world…**_

_**Despite the circumstances…**_

_**Have you ever thought**_

_**What if they all have…**_

_**Met in one place…**_

_**CHAPTER 6**_

_**In a Twist of Fate…**_

"Rock, are you sure about this?" His voice **gripped to his son's heart** like never before. Somewhere inside him knew what they're about to do is insane… But he just got to…

"Rock?"

**To see her again…**

"Just don't mind what they're going to say or do, father… We don't mean any harm, anyway. We're just here to say hello and surprise her, right?"

His son's voice was so sincere that he had to blink twice to see if this was really Rock… Around two weeks before, he was such a heartless man who demands what he wanted and wouldn't take no for answer… With the exception of the duke whom he had treated more than just a father but a master, Rock **never for one second**… hesitated at anything he wanted to do...

"OK… After all, I want to see her as well…" He confessed. It was about a week since their release from the hospital. And though the two both enjoy each other's company now that their relationship between father and son has gotten better, they still miss her…

After all, it was she who got them together…

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Another day at the Resistance Center… A very bright morning has come their way again…

Just nearby their building was that certain group of seven: Kenichi, Tima, Andy, Shay, Becka, Atlas and of course, Tinnette… The other people were still asleep or in their flats.

Kenichi was like the **happiest boy on the face of the planet**. Of course, he had always anticipated the revival of his best friend. He had gone through a lot to make this happen. And here he was, telling her all the things that happened after the Ziggurat Fall…

Becka was there beside the two watching them. And oh yeah, it was already weekends again. _(Time flies, doesn't it?)_ And she had nothing better to do but to wonder what had happened to a certain pair that got released from the hospital from a week ago…

To which by the way, this nurse has never mentioned those two to Tinnette, Andy or anyone from the group. After all, most have them have **certain issues regarding the pair**…

Atlas and Shay? Well… they're together-they're happy! That's it! Even though they still haven't moved on from the fact that they were the only ones left from, well… the rebellion, these two lovers certainly enjoy each other's company and with their new friends…

Tinnette, always watching everyone talk, laugh and… all that. All of these things still with her dark shades on. Even the curious Tima had given up asking why Tinnette wears the sunglasses all day…

And Andy… Well, ever since Tima woke up, the raven-haired scientist never ever figured why the humanoid still recalled several flashbacks before that horrific fall… But he's a scientist which means…

"Ugh, Andy for the umpteenth time, please… Try to stop figuring out why Tima still remembers everything despite the fact she was torn into a thousand pieces and most parts on her are new ones!!!"

It was that particular statement that made the spectacled young man to stop making theories of Tima's miraculous memory resurfacing in an instant… Well, that was what she told them…

"Sorry… You know it's just weird this is the first thing I can't solve scientifically… and well, logically, that is…" Andy rubbed his head sheepishly...

"Well… If everything had a scientific answer, then this world will be boring… I mean, where's your sense of mystery, Andy?" Tinnette poked his left shoulder playfully.

"Oh c'mon… Tinnette… This is a mystery already… "

"Mystery that will be left unanswered…" She finished.

A pause…

"Then can that mean Tima is really the Tima who was believed to have died during the Fog-of-Death War? You know her spirit is in her!?" A voice suddenly came into their conversation… It was Shay.

"S-spirit?" Tinnette gasped.

"OK… Maybe not spirit… but like you know… your Master Laughton must have found a way to get some memories and convert into some kind of memory storage." Atlas chirped in.

"A memory device!? That's impossible!" Tinnette gasped again.

Both Atlas and Shay were surprised by the Leader's sudden outburst.

"Why is it impossible?" Atlas asked.

"W-well… uuhh" The leader got tongue-tied…

"Oh yeah… Why didn't I think of that, Tinnette?" Andy suddenly beamed in. "It is impossible to be a spirit because well scientifically it's not done that way…"

"Oh c'mon… Don't take it seriously. I always joke on those kinda things to scare people." Shay defended sheepishly.

"OK, what about the memory device thing…?" Atlas inquired yet again. "I mean I'm sure the Duke would have gotten hold of the body or something…"

At that point, Tinnette shuddered… To which Tima, Kenichi and Becka noticed.

"Please don't talk about me like I'm some kind of ghost. It scares me, too." Tima said, silencing the group.

"Y-Yeah… She's right." Tinnette spoke.

"Well, your theory of getting the body is logical, Atlas but…"

"But what…?"

"The brain must still be alive in order to get the memories…" Andy spoke seriously. "Yeah, well, there are some developments on that but… that's the thing… Duke Red never got his daughter back… at all"

Dead silence… A creepy moment… It was like she was actually there… _(She is…)_

Just then, a loud bang came from the gate. Although, it did sound like it was a knock, the gate being metal made it like a bell ringing in a church…

"Woops… gee, with all this creepy conversation, we forgot to open the gate. C'mon! Maybe it's another homeless person or something like that…" Becka interrupted the group's silence as she hurried to open the gate…

"Uh, remind me not to make up theories of Tima's memories again…"Andy whispered to Tinnette as the rest followed after Becka.

"I already did about a gazillion times already, Andy…" The blonde leader said as what looks like she rolled her eyes.

"OK,OK… The gate's open and wel-" Becka's sentence was cut off as she gasped with mouth wide open…

"Uh hi?"

This visitor's voice was so small that they couldn't recognize him if it weren't for his companion sitting on a wheelchair.

"R-Rock? D-Duke Red?" She said it… And the rest gasped… in horror that is…

"Hey!" Altas's **fuming aura was back** again. "What are you two doing in here!?"

By that time, Tima had clung tightly in Kenichi's arm while Shay did so with Atlas's. Andy was shocked as well and his eyes were sending death glares to Rock. Tinnette… well, it's hard to say with her shades on…

And Becka…well… She **was shocked more than ever…**

"Oh… I guess we're not welcome here, too." Rock interrupted their uneasy and scary glares to them. "We just wanted to visit the nurse who took care of us."

"T-Took care of…" Tinnette and Andy, **which in coincidence, simultaneously repeated a part of that sentence** as they looked at Becka with shock… How come she had never mentioned anything about them?

"U-Uh… I guess I forgot to tell you something?" Becka said in a manner in which she didn't mean what she said and words just came out of her mouth.

But humor was not really the best attempt to disturb between the ones out side the gate and the ones in the inside… And pretty soon, that tension had heightened…

"What 's going on? I thought Kenichi said they were still in the Ziggurat while IT was COLLAPSING!?" Atlas fumed again.

"Even I cannot answer that question myself… Atlas…" Rock countered, but in a replying manner neither defensive nor angry.

"Becka, what are they doing here!?" It was Andy's turn to fume up, surprising everyone present. Becka and Tinnette never did recall Andy losing his temper. **Actually, he never did.**

Becka sighed. She was panicking. She has one group of friends fuming over the other friends. She was getting all confused.

But she knew from the very start that this was going to happen. If only she thought of something earlier…

Everything was getting chaotic… even though none was uttering a sound… Within them was a battle of fear, anger, hate, regret…

The only way to stop it was…

"OK…" Becka finally said, breaking the uncomfortable silence that has beheld them. "Let's stop this…"

Each person turned towards Becka. "Look, I'm sorry I did not do something I'm supposed to do but… Ugh!" The brunette buried her face with her hands. Everyone just couldn't utter a sound anymore.

A deep and equally heavy sigh was heard from Tinnette. "Pretty soon, the other people are waking up… I know this is insane for all of you but… we've got to let them in…"

"W-Wha…" Andy folded his arms and grunted. "Fine…"

Seeing as if they really had no choice but to follow Tinnette since she is the leader, Rock and Duke Red finally went safely inside the Resistance Center.

"Becka." Andy's voice was stern and… since this was rare, scary… But, this is not the time to make fun of it. Becka knew that from that tone she was **in deep, deep, deep trouble**…

"We need to talk…" Tinnette completed Andy's sentence with the same scary tone of a voice…. Therefore, it is double the trouble for her…

"Sure…" That was all she could muster up. She was tired to say more.

The three left the group that was actually feuding a while ago and went into the right side of the compound.

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It was dead quiet. It seemed that both were still searching for more… errr… words that exactly match they want to say… And the brunette was getting more and more anxious as each moment passed by.

For the past ten years of their friendship starting from orphanage till now, Becka had never felt this heavy. The feeling where she had just betrayed her best friends' trust… was just too much.

For a time, she also pondered what would her brother would say to her. In all aspects, Raven and the other two have always been by her side… except that there is one thing that they could not tolerate…** And that is… Secrets…**

"Becka, haven't the three of us understood what the consequences are when we keep secrets from one another…?" Tinnette began.

_- Jackpot…-_ The scolded one thought. Sometimes, things can be predictable.

"T-Tinnette… Andy… Look, I'm sorry… But Rock and Duke Red are really nice guys. As a nurse, of course, it's my job to give them a listening ear and-"

"Then why keep it a secret!? If it's just a job, why did we have to know not until they have released from the hospital…!?" Andy demanded for an answer.

"B-Because… obviously, we are having people here that… that have you know certain issues with them… I mean if I told you guys from the start… maybe Atlas and Shay would have left by now… Or…"

"So you're saying you wanted to avoid a conflict." Tinnette summed it up and heaved a huge sigh. "Wasn't what happened awhile ago a conflict…?"

"B-But I didn't know they were actually going to visit me! I know they meant it as just as a surprise for me… so… it's really my fault. I didn't tell them about you guys or…"

"Damn! This is getting chaotic as it is! Becka, were you in your right mind when you took them in!?" She was once again interrupted by Andy.

"H-Huh?"

"Becka, Rock's nothing but a murderer…! Have you been listening to the kid when he first came here with Tima!?" Andy was hysterical.

"Of course! Rock was jealous b-because… Duke Red has been giving too much attention to Tima during those times… And… We all know for a fact that he despises robots…"

"Oh really!? Did he ever tell you that by chasing Tima, he had to kill Master Laughton!"

_-What… He killed… He didn't say that… All I know is he had done something… because it was out of… envy… Could it be… that something was…-_

"Well look at that! Speechless, huh? Why would a guy like him admit it to you about it? Because it's a crime!" Andy led more to her confusion.

_-What is going on? The Rock I knew so far was a lonely man who had sought for a father's love… He didn't tell me that he had done something that had gone… too far…-_

"Told you Becka! People like him… don't have a place here!!!" Andy finally said.

And that would be the perfect time to stop playing the 'good girl'…

"**What about Atlas!? Was he any different from Rock…!?"**

The two were speechless. For once, she was right.

"Look, you two… When Atlas first woke up from the hospital, all he did was regret… Regret… Blamed him for everything that had happened to his friends… Rock was like that, too… He also has conscience, guys… You're just too fed up with your emotions … that you forgot what the Resistance Center is for!"

Indeed, the center was established for everyone who had entered and asked for help. Raven said that firmly. And the rest of the three agreed to that…

"And Tinnette… From what we're seeing here, everything is far from being happy… At least show something even while hiding…" Becka added.

Tinnette sighed. Indeed, she was the one who said that. _(From the last chapter remember?)_

"I guess… I should be the one who had to understand the consequences of keeping a secret." She said, as she pushed her sunglasses in place…

"And yeah… can I talk to Rock for a while…?" Becka suddenly asked out of the blue.

"U-uh… sure… That's fine. I guess…" Tinnette shrugged.

With that said, Becka rushed back to where they had left the people who have remained in silence.

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Rock anxiously gulped… His hands were shaking softly inside his pockets. That was why the others have never seen it. But, Duke Red could feel it.

The young man knew that by this time, Becka will finally know the one thing that he had failed to tell her…

If only he had the damn guts to tell her everything from the beginning…

He can feel the rest of the people surrounding him and his father **with their immense death glares**. That rebel leader…Atlas, the girl beside him must be one of his companions… and…that Japanese kid… It's a mystery as to how he ever survived from the Ziggurat…

But come to think of it… He and his father surviving that same catastrophe is also puzzlement itself…

And it was weird… They were all brought here in one place two weeks after the tragedy… Such a cruel twist of fate…. _(Hence, the title, no?)_

But there was something that had caught his eyes from the very start… it was that robot.

_- She survived…. And weird… she was stable after I shot her. What was her name? Oh yes…. Tima… The name of his father's real child has been given to her…-_

The girl robot was staring at them in a different way. No, not death glares, not a scared glance as well, but rather…

What's this? A look of curiosity… Well, if she has been rebuilt again as obviously shown, would that mean a new memory device? Or… Has that green-haired kid had someone erase all her memories? So that she can start a better life…?

The brunette young man turned away. This robot girl is **no longer any of his concerns**. He holds no grudges to anyone anymore… The only thing that remains is regret… And the reason why he came here was because he didn't want to have more than what he has now…

"Rock…" Her voice interrupted his thoughts. He looked and saw it…

A pair of serious eyes… Somehow the twinkle in her eyes had disappeared… From there, he could tell…

**She already knew…**

"Rock… can we talk …?" Her voice seemed stern. Was she disappointed? Angry? Rock couldn't tell… He has never encountered anything like this before…

Without a word, Rock followed Becka to the left side of the compound where a small play ground lies.

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As the two departed, the one left behind, trapped in a wheelchair, was Duke Red. He felt a little scared of what is to happen between Rock and Becka… but…

Maybe, he should think about himself, this time. That rebel leader, Atlas and the lady with him were already glaring him like they wanted him to be stroked by lightning on the spot.

He sighed to himself. He knew something like this would happen, anyway. Coming to the Resistance Center was a risk that even Rock was hesitant about.

He turned his attention to the Japanese boy… and Tima…

His features softened even more. If only, **his daughter could survive the way this little robot could**. But what really caught his attention was that…

She looked like she has seen him before. That would be impossible. To rebuild such a robot like her is even mind-boggling to him as well. This Tima robot was the only one its kind. And here she is standing just as she was before.

"Kenichi…" her small voice startling everyone as it has been dead silent for a good 10 minutes.

"Hm?"

"You said that Rock was the person who tried to kill me, right?" She asked rather loudly.

"Y-yeah…" That was all Kenichi could reply.

"Then why didn't he do anything…now?" Tima mused.

"Erm…"

"It's because he is not envious of you anymore." Duke Red found himself speaking.

"What is 'envious'?" Tima asked again. Kenichi couldn't stop her as well as the others. Nobody could really stop the humanoid's curiosity.

The duke was slightly taken aback. "Um, don't you remember who I am?"

OK, that was a dumb question. But, even the Duke himself was as curious as she was. All he could muster up is that this robot is **supposed to perceive him as the enemy** just like the rest of her companions.

"Ummmmm… A little… But Andy here told me it was you gave his master all the materials he needs to create… me, right?" Tima answered coolly.

The Duke nodded but narrowed his eyes at the robot girl. She was right. That Andy she was talking about might be the young man in a lab coat and glasses.

_- Hmm… This must be that scientist's apprentice. To think what took his masters years to create Tima was only a couple weeks for him to rebuild. That Laughton chooses his students well. –_

"So, what's 'envious'!?" The blonde girl asked the original question again. The Duke gulped. How did the Japanese boy get used to this girl with all her questions. Even their new friends might be having a hard time.

But all this reminds him of…

The real Tima…

"Envious means…" The Duke began to answer. "You are… uhm… jealous of a certain person. You hate that someone because… that person gets more attention than… you…"

His voice trailed off. Somehow, that meaning meant a lot to him now. **Rock was in despair** and he did no see it …because he was too blinded by the fact that his daughter will be revived again…

"But I didn't mean to…" Tima spoke again.

"No… it's not your fault…" The duke very much agrees to that. "The fault is mine…"

"But-" Tima spoke again when Kenichi finally had the urge to stop her.

"So, you admit that everything is your fault and yours alone!" Atlas suddenly spoke. His **voice filled with anger** was pretty much evident.

The Duke lowered his head. "Yes… And all I can say is I'm…"

"Sorry!? Does an apology bring our friends back!? Does all that regret can even match up to all the suffering we have to go through, huh!?" Atlas was furious now… His emotions came flooding back to him.

There was that dead silence again. It was unnerving. It gave an uneasy atmosphere. But what could they do? No one in that particular place had the guts to speak up.

Tinnette sighed heavily. She sure hoped the other people still asleep haven't awakened yet from all of Atlas's uproar. This was getting chaotic – despite the chilling stillness that had befallen them.

"I know… one apology cannot change the things that had transpired…" Duke Red said, breaking the unbearable silence as each person looked to him.

"But… coming here with Rock means that I… **we… want to change things for the better**…"

Atlas had a pained look. Shay was like about to be in tears again…

For the better!? What can possibly be in store for their future…? They had nothing left but each other. What can **a single apology** do to make things right again…?

"You know…" Tinnette suddenly spoke. "Ten years ago, Andy and I lost our parents from that… Fog-of-Death War… Even you, Atlas and Shay… The Duke here lost his daughter from the same war, too… It's just…"

"Maybe… instead of fighting, we should all help each other out…" Tima voiced out what Tinnette was going to say…

Another moment silence again. But it was lighter than the last time. Each person knew the truth in Tima's innocent but strong words.

Atlas sighed. "Well, everyone had some sort of a loss from all this. I guess Tinnette and Tima have a point… We should learn to forget…and forgive… and start again…"

Each made a small smile… except for Andy who merely had his head low so as not to show his face.

Duke Red made a huge sigh of relief. At least, there's no one here that's going to kick him out. Then, something struck him.

His eyes landed on that long blonde haired woman. Donning a simple shirt and jeans, she stood there like any other leader would. Her dark shades blocked the true nature of her eyes from view.

Oh yes… There was something about this Resistance Center that made the whole Metropolis storming with all kinds of stories and rumors. They say that the Center was founded by Raven Goldhart. And when he has risen to presidency, he passed his leadership of the Center **to a young woman called Tinnette.**

She sparked a lot of rumors and conspiracy. For one thing, why wear the sunglasses all day long when she's just at home?

"I see that some rumors are true…" The Duke voiced his thoughts, starting another conversation. Everyone turned towards the Duke. "That the leader of Center is someone who does not take off her sunglasses. If you don't mind me asking, miss… Why?"

The group then turned towards Tinnette, also expecting an answer … with the exception of Andy, of course.

The blonde merely gave a weak smile and a brief shrug. "Keeping a secret…" That said, she turned her head away…

_- No comment, eh…-_ He thought.

This was weird… This woman truly has a secret that only a few trusted friends know. But, just looking at her… feels…

Light…

**As if he has known this young lady before…**

"So, Mr. Duke Red, sir…" Tima's voice reached his ears again. He turned to her once more. Apparently, this child had grown fond of him. He couldn't also help to think but he has that same feeling as her.

"Yes, Tima…" The name sounded right somehow.

"Tell me, what's the real Tima like to do?" Her question made many interested people. Kenichi, as always, was beside his best friend, looked up to listen. Atlas and Shay may not be near but were at good distance to hear the Duke's words. Andy just stood where he was. But, Tinnette was content where she was… A few meters away from the group but can still hear them nonetheless…

"Well, where do I begin? I've got loads to tell you. You might get sleepy afterwards…" Duke Red hesitated playfully to which the girl giggled.

"Don't worry; I like listening to a lot of stuff! C'mon! C'mon… Please…" The blonde robot girl pleaded with her small hands clasped together. The older man in a wheelchair sighed.

_- Well… This is much better than being kicked out… -_

The rest seemed interested even Atlas and that young lady with him. He winced slightly at the sight of the robot girl. Her voice, her movements… were so similar…

"Well, that's the one thing you two have in common, you know…?" He began. That was one way to start things. "You and my daughter are **the most curious creatures in the world**! Every now and then, she would pop a question… always to me!"

Tima giggled. "What color does she like?"

He paused to think for a few seconds, "Well, I sure hope you like pink or red…"

The girl nodded excitedly. "Yes I do, too… I like pink coz it's from the strawberry ice cream!"

The Duke made a small gasp. "My, you don't say… She likes… No… She loves that flavor. I always make sure I buy at least two for her when I come home…"

Tima smiled again. The Duke noticed that Atlas seemed to have got ridden off the angry look. The girl with him seemed to be softly smiling at his recollections. The Japanese boy was just as enthusiastic as his friend. That so-called Andy seemed to be listening as well.

But… what about Tinnette? Was she listening? He couldn't tell. She was pretty much far away.

"So… what more…?" Tima asked for more.

A deep sigh was heard but a calmer one at that. "That girl… Whenever I think of her, I also remember her mother."

"Do they look alike?"

"Well, exactly alike if you ask me…. The same soft flowing blonde hair, the same glistening green eyes…"

"But… where is she now?"

Another moment of silence.

"Sadly, Tima's mother died when she was just three…"

The robot girl had a pained look. The words 'death', 'died' and all that **must still be harsh words** for her. "That is why she and I were very close… It's the both of us together…"

He looked at the robot had a sad look. It was as if she was talking to the real Tima herself.

But, no… it has been ten years ago. She should be around 22 by now.

"I wish I can be a real human… like her…" Tima spoke again. Her eyes filled with hope…

Duke Red laughed softly. "You don't need to…"

"Why not!? Isn't that why I was created for…?" Tima asked. A puzzled expression plastered on her face. "I know I can't be the exact same Tima you had… but I'll do my best…!"

The Duke, for the nth time that day, was once again taken aback. But, he knew that even if he said yes, **nothing can ever replace his daughter…** It was this concept that he failed to comprehend.

"Well, you were indeed created in the image of her… But, it only started out like that. I'm not obliging you to become my daughter in place of her. Because… No one can ever take her place. Once more, the most important after all is to become who you want to be…"

There was truth in his words. Atlas and Shay **couldn't believe this was the man they have hated** for years.

And from a distance, Tinnette might have peeped in a small brief smile.

"You are in a way," The Duke added. "A unique Tima… A robot that can think and feel for itself! You already have your own life, your own path… Although, you started out in such a cruel world, you survived… And that's how it is…"

"Right… I am me! And no one can ever take my place, either!" The robot girl beamed happily as she sprang up from her feet.

Tinnette saw the whole group laughed. She smiled… Just a few minutes ago, they were silent as the dead. _(Considering, that most of them should be dead in the movie, ehehehe…)_

Then, something caught her eye…

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Somewhere not far away from the Resistance Center, hidden from sight was 7 dark figures.

"Well, well, well…" His voice boomed, but not too loud so **as not to catch attention from a certain laughing group…**

"This is interesting, boss!" A supposed subordinate spoke. "There's that rebel leader, his girlfriend or something and Duke Red comes in… And what do we have? They're laughing like they're ol' pals!!!"

"Yes… I can tell! You idiot!" The boss yelled annoyingly…

A minute of silence passed as he urged to watch the unsuspecting group. He made an evil smile.

"Well, boys… It's show time…" His voice was followed **with a click of gun trigger**.

"Yes sir!" The remaining subordinates yelled proceeded with their own gun clicks.

_- Now, which one is Becka Goldhart?- _

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Meanwhile…

They have been silent the whole time… They were speechless. They couldn't really think of a word that fits of how they want to say it. But they have to say something…

"Rock…" It was the brunette that first spoke. They were in a small playground. She was sitting on a swing with the young man just in front of her.

"S-So… You killed someone, huh?" Becka said… as if it didn't matter.

"No! It wasn't like that!" Rock began to protest. His boiled up emotion has now been released. Becka was confused. Just a second ago, he looked like he was going to confess everything. Now, he's in denial… What the-

"Then, why did you come here to talk here for…?" She questioned.

"I… I… I got scared." The once feared Rock was stuttering in his words now.

"Scared?"

"Scared that you'll find out the wrong way…?"

"Huh?"

He sighed heavily… _-OK, relax… Relax, Rock. Just do this slowly… Slowly… Just relax…-_

"Even I did have the capacity, I couldn't…" Rock slowly spoke.

"You couldn't… kill a scientist who was building a robot in an illegal way, a robot that the Duke has become obsessed with before?" She asked again

"He was pleading for mercy… Even though I was boiling mad over him, I… I never felt that powerless before. The old man died of a heart attack… I know it! All I did was to pull him up to the front door so that he could be found while he was still breathing. Then, I burned the lab so that… the humanoid robot wouldn't live…"

Becka had her mouth wide open. There was a moment of silence… _(Note: This is simultaneous to the other group…)_

"So… The only one you wanted kill was… Tima… You never thought that the old man would die that same night." Becka stated, verifying some facts.

"Yes… I… I'm sorry… I didn't tell you…"

The nurse suddenly snorted and **gave a carefree laugh**. "Man! You nearly gave me heart attack, you know… And here I thought, you thought you coming here was something really serious!"

Rock was startled at first at her weird reaction but sighed in relief. At least, she was not that upset.

"I guess the only right thing to do is tell the truth to Andy." Becka concluded. She was happy with that. At least, let the already-stressed-out robotic expert have some emotional relief for once.

But the ex-Marduk flinched painfully at that thought. Here he was getting all messed up by just confessing to Becka and now he's going to tell it again… to him!?

That's absurd... Well, in his opinion, anyway…

"What's with the pained look?" Becka asked, noticing Rock's expression.

"Well, Becka, you see… It took like a lot of guts for me to come here and say this all to you. But now, you want me to-"

"Of course! Who else? You're the one who wants to clear things up!"

_-Liar… You're secretly glad that Rock's not the cold, heartless murderer everyone's been talking about… Wait a minute! Why am I so relieved…!? Hell, of course, he's such a cute guy with an angelic face! And then, you'll hear nasty rumors 'bout him. –_

Uh oh… What **a wrong timing for a blush to appear!**

"B-But, Becka… I-I have never talked to anyone like this. It's just… I'm not used to it." Rock said hesitantly for the nth time today. "I have never socialized with anyone at all. I decided not to be attached… So now, I am at loss at what am I going to do first…"

The brunette sighed again. _–Oh yeah, this person still trying to become a normal guy just like everyone else.–_

She got up from the swing and raised his chin to level it up to hers. "Hey, cheer up! I'll be right next to you… Promise!"

"Really…"

"Y-Yeah, of course…" It was at this point that both had realized** that their faces were merely a millimeter** **from each other.**

_(What the- Aaah! They're gonna kiss! They're gonna kiss!)_

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

The two suddenly heard a scream…

_(Aww, damn!)_

There could only mean one thing…

**There's trouble…**

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Tinnette was getting all bewildered… One minute, they were arguing, then, they were laughing… And now, a group of thugs came barging in the Center… **with guns… **

And what would you expect when you see someone with a gun?

Normally, **you'd scream, right…?** Tinnette, Shay and Tima did just that but…

"SHUT UP!" The leader raised his voice angrily. Each thug was covered black clothing, from head to toe. And each had a gun with him. "Stop all that screaming, and answer me! Where is that President's sister, Becka Goldhart!?"

Everyone's eyes widened in shock. What the hell is happening here? Why do they need her? More importantly, what are they going to do with her!?

"What do you want with her!?" Tinnette shouted back.

"Relax… We ain't gonna hurt her. We just need to talk with the 'First Sister'. Hahahahaha!" The thug leader laughed at his joke.

"State your purpose first." Tinnette's eyes could be glaring behind those dark shades.

The leader thug smirked behind his mask. "Playing the brave one, eh?"

The others gulped but the blonde leader stood her ground, unfazed.

Meanwhile…

Rock and Becka **were safely hidden** at distance but they can still hear most of what's going on.

"Rock, I've got to show up. Who knows what they'll do to Tinnette?" Becka said frantically.

"Wait… Who knows what they'll to do you, too? You're their target. It could be worse!" Rock cautioned. They were hidden beneath a pillar that supported the center building where Becka and the rest resides. Thankfully, the pillar was wide enough to cover two people.

There was Tinnette bravely stalling them up while the Duke was behind her. The others came closer together from behind.

"But, Rock-"

"So, playing the brave one, eh…" Both heard the supposedly leader speak while taking a few steps towards Tinnette. "Well, then, take this!"

In a split second, the leader **went down as she was unmercifully kicked in the stomach!** "Ugh!" Down she fell... Her shades fell out off her face and broke into pieces. She landed in front of a wide-eyed Duke Red.

"That's it!" Becka suddenly dashed towards Tinnette.

"Hey! Wait!" Rock was about to chase after her when **he accidentally stepped on something**. He looked down and smiled.

_-This is useful…- _

What does he mean? Oh well…

"Wait!!!" Becka caught the leader's attention as she stood behind Tinnette still lying on the floor. "I'm here! What is it that you want?"

"Well, well, if it isn't Becka Goldhart… What took you so long!? This poor blondie just got a taste of my mood swings."

"S-Sorry… W-What... What is it that you want from me?" Becka asked, trying not to shiver in her voice.

"Well… our boss says that if your brother doesn't agree to the deal…." The leader raised his gun, pointing at Becka's forehead. The brunette found herself making a little gulp.

"Big mistake." A dark sinister voice caught everyone's attention. Even the thugs felt chills.

"R-Rock.." One by one, the thugs uttered his name…. in fear.

_- What the… Rock's in here!? The boss didn't say anything about… Damn it!-_

"Well? I thought you had one of those mood swings." Rock was back into the spooky mode. Becka wasn't getting used to this.

The leader grumbled but nevertheless… "Relax, Mr. Rock. We just came to send a message from our boss."

"A message…!?" His eyes were like piercing daggers. "You **call that kicking woman over there, a message!?**"

Everything fell into uneasy silence. Rock still focused his deadly stares at the leader. "Well, unfortunately, I, too have some mood swings from time to time…"

Then, his right hand inserted into his pockets. Rock seemed to have a gun all along. Of course, he's there protect his father, right? "If you thugs don't get out of here… **you're all dead!**"

That said, the **minions ran for their lives**. But the leader went out slowly. By the time he was at the gate, he looked at Becka again. "Well… don't forget the message to our brother, you know…"

"Out!" Rock said with finality. The leader immediately left.

A sigh of relief was heard from each person. Becka who had stood frozen all that time sat down on the ground. "Man! I couldn't even breathe there."

Suddenly, Rock dropped his scary look and was immediately replaced with worry. He ran towards Becka. "Becka, you okay?"

"Uh Rock? You actually had a gun!?" Becka asked.

Rock laughed but in a weak manner. "This…?" he took the thing he had in his right pocket… only to reveal… **a water gun.**

"It's a toy that I found from where we were hiding. I accidentally broke one of these, though." He said as he pulled the trigger, squishing droplets of water.

Becka's mouth went wide. Those **thugs scampered off like scaredy-cats because of a… toy!?**

"Well, I figured that since some still think I'm a Marduk so…"

"Whoa!!! That was awesome, man!" Both brunettes turned their heads to an amazed Atlas. "You know, if we had met in different circumstances, you would have been part of our gang…"

Rock laughed. "Really?"

Becka smiled. _–I guess being rumored as a cold-hearted killer does have its perks…-_

**THUD!**

All heads turned their attention to Duke Red. He was out of his wheel chair!

"Father!" Rock called. But he didn't hear his son. His eyes were fixed on Tinnette whose shades have broken into pieces. His trembling hands were caressing the still unconscious woman. Apparently, he had already **seen the leader's true face.**

"T-Tima, dear… Are you OK?" The Duke's eyes were filling up with tears now. "Daddy's here…"

Atlas, Shay, Rock, Kenichi, and most of all, Tima… gasped. Of course, no wonder the **leader's been avoiding him all this time**! She was the real Tima all along…

Rock looked at Becka expectantly. "Um, Becka?"

Becka grinned sheepishly. "I guess all secrets are going to be revealed today…" That said, they all gathered round the lying leader.

Slowly, Tinnette opened her eyes. But she immediately shut her them off again. She was not used to the penetrating light. She felt a warm hand on her face. She didn't know how but tears just came down her face, too…

"It's been a long time since I felt your hand, Daddy…" Her voice now sounded sincere. No longer had it has the sternness and superiority from before. Her eyes were now open.

Even without saying daddy, the whole group had already known that Tinnette was the real Tima. Her eyes were glistening in green alright… It was the same as the robot Tima's albeit more mature in appearance.

"You were here all along! I knew it… I felt it! I knew it! I could tell from your voice!" The Duke Red's eyes were red from all the tears. But it was shining in all his delight.

The group around them couldn't help also smile at what they're seeing…. Even Atlas _(He hates Duke Red, remember?)_ had a faint smile on his features.

Soon, Tinnette sat up and hugged her father after like, oh, ten years of separation. It was an **embrace that was sought out for so long**. And now, they finally have it.

"Um… Sorry to break the moment but…" Andy suddenly broke it. "But, uh… with all the girls' screaming from before, I guess the other people have already woken up."

True enough, they could hear the doors opening. The once still quiet compound was beginning to be bustling with people and activity.

Instinctively, both Rock and Atlas _(what the-)_ helped the Duke in his wheelchair. The rest tried as much as possible to look as if nothing really happened.

"Uh, dear… Your shades were…" Duke Red began.

"Don't worry. I just have…" Tinnette hurriedly took out an extra pair of sunglasses from her right pocket _(keyword: right pocket)_. "I have another one… just in case…"

Duke Red rolled his eyes weakly. "But these people will see us…"

"So?" Tinnette said as she pushed her glasses in place on her nose. "Everyone is accepted in the Center… I'm sure you guys don't have a place anymore, right Daddy and Rock!? I think I saw some luggage by the gate somehow. Hmmm?"

Rock and his father produced a few sweatdrops. "Ehehehe…. Well, uh, 'nough said…" Rock manages to say so. Becka twitched an eyebrow. _–What the! I thought he was only supposed to confess. Hm? Oh well…. At least, he'll stay over!-_

"Hmm… I think there's an empty flat next to us, Tinnette." Kenichi suggested helpfully._ (Now if you ask me, this is just his only line in the chapter.)_

"Well, it's all settled then… OK, Andy? Rock? Atlas? Kenichi? Get the luggage, please…" Tinnette said. _(More like ordered)_ The boys did so. While Rock got his own luggage, he was helped by Becka.

"So…. Confident enough to tell something to Andy…?" Becka asked him. A sigh was heard.

"Yeah… I think so…"

A smile came from the brunette. "That's great! As promised, I'll be right next to you…"

"Thanks…"

Weird day, wasn't it? Past emotions and grudges were calmed by forgiveness. Secrets were revealed, both shocking and touching. Old enemies seemed to find common ground… Yet a new enemy has emerged…

_**All of this happened… in a twist of fate…**_

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**KAWAII HANA:** Woooooooohhhh! Finally finished this chapter!

**ROCK:** Ermmm… This is kind of like the longest chapter in your writing experience…

**KAWAII HANA:** Huh? _(Checks…)_ Oooh! Cool! So, guys how'd ya like the chapter…!? All kinds of twists, eh? Hence, the title, no? I am glad I finally revealed Tinnette's real identity now…

**TINNETTE:** Well, one could say this is your most overly dramatic chapter…

**KAWAII HANA:** Of course! It's been a long time since I updated this story.

**TIMA:** When's the next update?

**KAWAII HANA:** _(Dumfounded) _Ermm, I don't know…

**ALL CHARACTERS:** _(They all groaned in annoyance)_

**KAWAII HANA:** Oh come on, quit complaining!

**ALL CHARACTERS:** You can't order us! You don't own Metropolis!!! Hmph!

**KAWAII HANA:** Hmph! Okaaayyy, only, Tinnette, Shay, Andy and Becka will follow. They're my original characters…

**ALL OC:** Unfair…

**THE THUGS:** Um…. Are we included?

**KAWAII HANA:** _(Snorts)_ you don't need to… You guys are going not to appear for a while.

**THE THUGS:** _(Gets depressed)_

**KAWAII HANA:** Oh well, if there's someone out there who's gonna review… How's this chapter…? Was it too fast-paced? Please tell me what you think… Oh well, thanks for reading and…

_**SAYONARA!!!**_


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